Vicki Butler-Henderson

Some think that the world of motorsports and supercars is all about boys and their toys. But Vicki Butler-Henderson begs to differ, having worked as a racing instructor and fronted telly's two biggest car shows.

Becoming a speed freak was a bit of a no-brainer for Vicki Butler-Henderson. Whilst her double-barrelled surname makes her sound like a minor Royal, she actually hails from a clan of racing fanatics. Her grandfather raced at Brooklands, her dad was a member of Britain's national karting team, and her brother is a professional driver to boot. Fate helped her along as well - she and David Coulthard were karting rivals before they were even in their teens.

Prior to flaunting her lack of Y-chromosome on Top Gear, Vicki was an instructor at no less a circuit than Silverstone and even bagged a licence to race speedboats as well as cars. Going at ridiculous speeds in only one form of transport just isn't enough for some people.

When the original incarnation of Top Gear was brutally axed in 2001, Vicki could have easily been left adrift in the telly wilderness. Instead, she and fellow Top Gear presenters Tiff Needell and Quentin Wilson fastened their seatbelts for its successor-of-sorts, Fifth Gear.

Having two flagship motoring shows under her belt - together with a mountainous pile of articles for just about every car magazine going - Vicki has done much to redeem the motoring media in the eyes of those who think it's just about comparing Ferraris to beautiful women. That, said, she's not entirely immune to the lure of the naff, once presenting an ITV show called Date My Daughter. Oh well, no-one can have impeccable judgement all of the time, and if you're going to go TV slumming you may as well go all the way.

It'll always be her expert handling of supercars that we'll know her for, although if you ever found yourself in a position to chat her up, you may choose to bluff a knowledge of darts, snooker and skiing - three other pursuits she's passionate about.