Top Gear Australia to premiere on 29 September

Ladies and gentlemen start your televisions! SBS has announced a premiere date for the Australian production of Top Gear—7:30pm Monday 29 September. Series 1 will run for 8 episodes.

Many fans of the original UK version of Top Gear remain skeptical about the merits of the Australian production. However, on paper at least, I think the Aussie cast looks very promising. Snippets I’ve read in the press also give me confidence with Executive Producer Andy Wilman acknowledging they have a hard road ahead of them to keep the spirit of the original show with the new efforts here and in the US. All signs to date indicate this production will be done, and done well.

From the SBS Top Gear website: Calling themselves “the ugliest men on television” the comical Australian larrikins have tested a diverse range of cars, talked, joked and sung their way through countless hours behind the wheel, have donned wool vests, top hats and goggles for stories—although not all in one outing, and have competed against each other in amusing, and sometimes bordering on the side of ridiculous, challenges. But most importantly, they have had a “darn good time”.