Top Gear series 15
| Top Gear | |
|---|---|
| Series 15 | |
 Promotional poster | |
| Starring | |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC Two |
| Original release | 27 June – 1 August 2010 |
| Series chronology | |
Series 15 of Top Gear, a British motoring magazine and factual television programme, was broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two and BBC HD during 2010, consisting of six episodes that were aired between 27 June and 1 August; the new series was promoted with a special trailer that made use of a clip published on YouTube.[1][2] This series saw the replacement of Chevrolet Lacetti with the Kia Cee'd, effectively leading to a brand new lap board for celebrities to log in their times.
This series' highlights included the creation of home-made motorhomes, driving a Hilux up an active volcano close to erupting, budget cars suitable for track days, and a tribute to the late Ayrton Senna. Two compilation episodes featuring the best moments from the fifteenth series, titled "Best of Top Gear", were aired during 2010, on 8 and 15 August. The fifteenth series received some criticism for comments made by Jeremy Clarkson that were deemed unacceptable for broadcast.
Episodes
Best-of episodes
| Total | No. | Title | Feature | Original air date | UK viewers (million)[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S22 | CE–1 | "The Best Of Top Gear: 2010 No.1" | Best Moments from Series 15 - Part 1 | 8 August 2010 | 3.56 |
| S23 | CE–2 | "The Best Of Top Gear: 2010 No.2" | Best Moments from Series 15 - Part 2 | 15 August 2010 | 2.55 |
Criticism and Controversy
The fifteenth series faced criticism after the broadcast of the fifth episode, when Clarkson joked during a "News" segment that he had been in cab the other day and truly seen a woman wearing a burka tripping up on a pavement, upon which he could see that under it she was wearing a "red g-string and stockings". Following the broadcast of the episode, the BBC received a number of complaints regarding the joke,[4] with the singer Lily Allen writing on Twitter that the joke was "distasteful",[5] while a Mediawatch spokesperson said that Clarkson "should learn to keep quiet".[6]
However, in an article written for The Week, Antonia Bland defended the presenter's joke, saying that Clarkson had done nothing wrong and that Muslim women who wore a burka had the right to "choose to wear gorgeous lingerie in private", adding that the joke proved a good example of the dangers faced by male drivers trying to concentrate on the road during Summer.[7]
Notes
The viewing figures shown in the Episode Table above (with the exception of the first episode), are a combination of the figures from the BBC Two broadcast and the BBC HD broadcast.
References
- ^ "Top Gear - Season 15 trailer". AUSmotive.com. 22 June 2010.
- ^ "TopGear motorhomes: official pics". TopGear.com. 21 May 2010.
- ^ a b "Weekly Top 10 Programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board.
- ^ "BBC receives Top Gear complaints after Jeremy Clarkson's G-string under burka joke". Metro. 27 July 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ Leach, Ben (28 July 2010). "Jeremy Clarkson joins burka debate". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ Love, Ryan (27 July 2010). "Clarkson 'burka joke sparks complaints'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ Bland, Antonio (30 July 2010). "Clarkson was right about burkas and red G-strings". The Week. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
External links
- Top Gear caught in action. Embarrassing parents. - Original YouTube video used by the BBC to advertise Season 15.
Warning: Display title "<i>Top Gear series 15</i>" overrides earlier display title "<i>Top Gear</i> series 15" (help).