Fifth Gear
Gears are good, aren't they? Like Top Gear, for instance. That's a really good Gear. But now there's a new one we're shifting into on Dave.
Fifth Gear actually owes its very existence to its rival, Top Gear. Or, to be anal about it, it owes its existence to the original version of Top Gear, which was axed by the BBC some years ago. For the benefit of any toddlers reading this, the original Top Gear was a conventional magazine show that was high on facts and low on exploding caravans.
Unfortunately, even the dads had got a bit bored with it by 2001 and the Beeb cancelled the show. The crafty execs over at Channel Five promptly poached the cast and crew to create a new series, Fifth Gear. This cheeky upstart of a show proved so successful that the BBC hastily resurrected Top Gear as the stunt-packed romp we know today.
Like Clarkson, Hammond and May, Fifth Gear has three motoring muskateers of its own. All veterans of the original Top Gear, they're Quentin Willson, Tiff Needell and Vicki Butler-Henderson.
Quentin discovered his knack for cars back in uni, when he had a nice sideline in doing up second-hand motors and flogging them for obscene amounts of beer money (in his final year he sold a Jag for £750 profit). He then became a motoring journalist before being recruited for telly. Tiff Needell, meanwhile, is a former racing driver who once came third place in the legendary Le Mans race. (In other words, he has the gob of a Clarkson and the skills of a Stig). And as for the refreshingly non-male Vicki Butler-Henderson... well, she started karting as a youngster and was such a consummate petrolhead that she was a racing instructor at Silverstone at the unfeasible age of 17. Oh, and she's an experienced power boater as well.
When is it on?
Fifth Gear is next on at 8:00 pm
on Friday, 27th November on Dave.
Go to TV Listings
Fifth Gear
New. Tiff Needell and the team explore the most exciting cars on the road. Tiff and Jason enjoy a dogfight - in tanks - and Tom tries out the incredible single-seat Tramontana R.
- On at 8:00 pm on Friday, 27th November on Dave
- On at 9:00 pm on Friday, 27th November on Dave Ja Vu
- On at 11:30 am on Saturday, 28th November on Dave
- On at 12:30 pm on Saturday, 28th November on Dave Ja Vu
- On at 2:00 pm on Saturday, 28th November on Dave
- On at 3:00 pm on Saturday, 28th November on Dave Ja Vu
Fifth Gear
New. Info-packed motoring magazine. Tim is shocked to learn that one in five cars is dangerously low on oil, and David Coulthard joins Tiff for an extreme van-driving challenge.
- On at 8:30 pm on Friday, 27th November on Dave
- On at 9:30 pm on Friday, 27th November on Dave Ja Vu
- On at 2:30 pm on Saturday, 28th November on Dave
- On at 3:30 pm on Saturday, 28th November on Dave Ja Vu
Tiff Needell
Is Tiff Needell the Stig? We've no idea, but here's what we can tell you about the top telly petrolhead.
Vicki Butler-Henderson
Being a petrolhead isn't always about macho posturing and faded blue Levis. Just look at the slick and stylish Vicki Butler-Henderson.
Pub trivia
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The most important car ever made was the Model T Ford. Popularly, the credit goes to Henry Ford, although it was a friend of Ford's, Childe Harold Wills, who oversaw the design of the car and even came up with the squiggly Ford logo. He and Ford later fell out and Wills set up his own car company. Which flopped.
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The Volkswagen Beetle has the dubious distinction of being the most popular car ever created by an evil dictator. Adolf Hitler personally sketched the first Beetle designs in the early 30s.
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The world's first petrolheads didn't get behind the wheel – they toggled the tiller. That was the name of the giant sort-of joystick that was used to "steer" first cars around. The steering wheel was introduced in 1899, and within a decade the tillers were history.
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The fastest car in the world has a highest recorded speed of 257mph and can go from 0 to 60 in 2.78 seconds. Unfortunately, it's called the Ultimate Aero. But it could have been worse. It could have been called the Ultimate Twix.
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Beginning with Mary Anderson, who invented the first windscreen wiper in 1903, women have played a striking role in the evolution of the car. In fact, women inventors were responsible for developing the sparkplug, the clutch and the carburettor.
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The "father of the car" was Karl Friedrich Benz, and the first car was the Benz Patent Motorwagen, built in 1885. And it was a three-wheeler, so don't scoff at Reliant Robin drivers – they're keeping it real.
Comments
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planeboy | 20 Oct 09
Dave team can drop Fifth Gear from Dave channel. I see more Top Gear then Fifth Gear. Or show it on Watch or Really or stop showing it all togever on Dave.
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Emmy123 | 24 Sep 09
I'm sory but Fifth Gear really is crap. It may tell you about cars but it does it in such a boring way that everybody watching it shuts off! Top Gear forever!! <3 ..and ever and ever and ever and ever...
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Jess9095 | 8 Sep 09
IT SUCKS I LOVE TOP GEAR! 5TH GEAR IS JUST A CRAP COPPY COS 5 COUD NO BUY TOP GEAR AND IAM CLAD THAY DID NO BY IT COS IT THE BEST!!
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dasblaze | 8 Sep 09
crack_shack88 lol yer i know its like top gear and now but ffith gear is COMPLETE RUBBISH FIFTH GEAR NO 1 HAS VOTE FOR ON HERE AND I WOUNDER HOW MANY PPL STOP WATCHING COS FIFTH GEAR COMES ON TV . TOP GEAR AND FIFTH GEAR ARENT IN THE SAME LEAGUE ITS LIKE TOP GEAR IN THE PREMIERSHIP AND FIFTH GEAR IN THE 3rd division FIFTH GEAR NO WHERE NEAR AS GOOD AS TOP GEAR ( HAD A FEW MASKTAKES IN MY LAST 1 BUT MENDED IT
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dasblaze | 8 Sep 09
crack_shack88 lol yer i know its like top gear and now but ffith gear is COMPLETE RUBBISH FIFTH GEAR NO 1 HAS VOTE FOR ON HERE AND I WOULDNT HOW MANY PPL STOP WATCHING COS FIFTH GEAR COMES ON TOP GEAR AND FIFTH GEAR ARENT IN THE SAME LEAGUE ITS LIKE TOP GEAR IN THE PREMIERSHIP AND FIFTH GEAR IN THE 3rd division FIFTH GEAR NO WHERE NEAR AS GOOD AS TOP GEAR
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dinky97 | 5 Sep 09
5th gear SUCKS TOP GEAR RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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daimlersix | 4 Sep 09
Top gear is so much better than fifth gear doing some of the silly things top gear do gives us the info we want with out rolling numbers and facts off at us. maybe the original topgear failed with the help of the original presenters.
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yoda872610 | 1 Sep 09
Top gear is so much better, at least put on new episodes of fifth gear not old ones!
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droopsnoot | 20 Aug 09
No one is forcing Crack-shack88 to watch fifth gear. Even if they are in love with "Pube-head" Clarkson !!
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imaginer | 21 Jul 09
Top Gear is based around cars that drive on tarmac and is a bit boring as such..... "I can drive along a flat road, I can drive along a flat road" As such 5th gear is fairly intollerably boring! I could make a better show... in fact I think I will.....
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crack_shack88 | 20 Jul 09
planeboy has the right idea go you
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crack_shack88 | 20 Jul 09
I genuinly can't believe this is even being discussed. How, in the name of all that is holy, could fifth gear ever be better than top gear?! You people do realise this is top gear we're talking about here? TOP GEAR? THE GREATEST PROGRAMME EVER TO GRACE OUR SCREENS?! I would like to say to Dave, thank you so much for putting so much Top Gear on, but for god's sake, there is nothing more disheartening to sit down, jump straight to 019 (dave on freeview ;)) and find that bloody fifth gear is on! it makes me sick that people would even put them in the same leauge of television. people who 'don't like' top gear simply don't understand it, or aren't worth being alive. harsh, i know, but come on. this is top gear. television gold. comedy genius. everything about it is so good! the filming, the presenters, the guests, the challenges. in my opinion, fifth gear should be axed for good, and dave should put even more top gear. and newer episodes. Thank you for your time, and sorry for ranting.
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buzzboy2002 | 3 Jul 09
not a patch on top gear the presenters are tooo stuck up , why be a self centered twat just coz ya on tv, theres no fun in watchin snobby people talk crap.......(sorry James May...but at least you got a funny bone). PLEASE try to make it fun so i can watch more car shows, the ladys love top gear
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lidluvs911's | 22 Jun 09
TOPGEAR IS MUCH BETTER, 5th gear is pointless and most people prefer topgear, and i dont even CARE how un-green topgear is, its funny. Get over the "i want facts, not fun", cos topgear is hundreds of times better than 5th gear. 5th gear is just too "matter of fact" my advice to them is have some fun now and then.
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petrol-head | 13 Jun 09
I CANT UNDERSTAND WHY DAVE DONT PUT OTHER GREAT CAR PROGRAMS LIKE a. GARAGE , b. WRECKS TO RICHES (UK VERSION) , c. WHEELERS DEALERS . ALL THESE PROGRAMS I HAVE MENTIONED ARE 50000% BETTER THAN FIFTH GEAR OR TOP GEAR, ALTHOUGH I PREFER TOP GEAR TO FIFTH GEAR.
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planeboy | 5 Jun 09
Get Fifth Gear off Dave see more Top Gear on Dave.
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planeboy | 5 Jun 09
Don't like Fifth Gear when it is on Dave i like Top Gear better i think Fifth Gear is crap.
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CraigA | 4 Jun 09
Dave please get a hold of series 2 or something as series 1 has been repeated to many times now
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Keith777 | 21 May 09
I watch 5th Gear with interest and in preference to Top Gear where I find Clarkson and Hammond absolutely purile and more interested in destroying the planet than presenting and introducing cars of interest - not so James May who is wasted in their company. Tiff, Quentin and Vicky are still top rate and 5th Gear addresses most of the issues I am interested in, but very well, and their lapses into power-mad driving is covered with an enticing degree of humour. Today, I watched and imbecilic Adrian Simpson introducing the new Volvo 4x4 and found him even more distasteful that the incurable Clarkson/Hammond disease. Please move him on to TG and off my television or lose another viewer - he is ignorant and devoid of motoring nouse; more interested in how powerful the hifi is than how good the car is.
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askimramazan | 30 Mar 09
hi peeps, just caught a brief part of the show about drag races...think they are called 'ride what you bring rallies'? does anyone have some ideas about these rallies or anyothers that i can take my son too? i live in south wales, but can travel some distance further. OR any ideas about cheap, cheerfull and petrol head entertainment fro me and me boy!!!! x.x.x.x.jojox.x.x.x
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Alistair.Richardson | 22 Mar 09
Fifth Gear has real people in it that talks about real life issues. Jason Plato & Tiff Needel are as good as it gets regarding shoot outs and facts. Keep up the good work guys.
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evo_tg123 | 2 Mar 09
fifth gears ok but but top gear rules. FIFTH GEAR...GET LOST ND GO BACK 2 CHANNEL 5!! put more top gear on instead!
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clumsycluts | 4 Feb 09
Get this off of dave u have top gear no need for this
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MC Beats | 1 Jan 09
Well if thats how new Top Gear started I have to be slightly happy,not because they started normal TG but they made a show better than theres.
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Space Alien | 20 Dec 08
If your gonna copy Top Gear at least change the name a bit more so it isn't as obviously pathetic :(
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JITA | 20 Dec 08
I think fifth gear did a very crewl thing to top gear. the bottom line of it all is fifth gear know that we all like top gear miles better thats why they did it they cant stand a bit of competition. cant stand U TIFF need to work on ur voice it goes through me.
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Tazz14 | 16 Dec 08
i hate fifth gear it had burnt down top gears cool wall i hate em no where near as good as JC Hmaster and captain slow so stop showing fifth gear it is rubbish i want top gear to do all the testing and not fifth gear coming along and pissing it all up
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clumsycluts | 26 Oct 08
its rubbish hate the presentors
Latest post
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planeboy | 20 Oct 09
View all commentsDave team can drop Fifth Gear from Dave channel. I see more Top Gear then Fifth Gear. Or show it on Watch or Really or stop showing it all togever on Dave.