Top Gear China Coming Soon, Thoughts?

[Robin]

Top Gear To Drive into China

BBC China is to make its own version of Top Gear, the BBC's hugely successful car show.

According to UK newspaper the Daily Telegraph, the programme’s content is likely to be toned down, as its blend of outrageous stunts and politically incorrect humour will be too controversial to pass China's censors. The show will be broadcast after midnight when it airs later this year.

Cao Yunjin, a popular Beijing comedian who will be one of the three hosts of the Chinese version, told state media that he believed the antics of Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, the hosts of Top Gear, are too extreme for Chinese censorship requirement.

"The boys go crazy in the show, like pushing a Maserati over the top of a three-storey building and smashing it. It may be too much violence for a fun programme in China," he said.

Instead, the pilot episode of the Chinese show features a millstone-pushing race between a Cadillac and a donkey, in order to see which would be more useful for farm work.

With a worldwide audience of 350 million, Top Gear has become one of the BBC's most popular exports. Locally-made versions are already shown in Australia, Russia and the US.

The Chinese version will be screened on China Central Television, the state broadcaster.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/top-gear/8320247/Top-Gear-to-drive-into-China.html

Could be really interesting, especially if its filled with up and coming Chinese cars, I wonder what Chinese Stig will be like and the reasonably priced car!

Robin.

 

[Wiegert]

I'd like to see how 'toned down' the Chinese version will be. Also, the RPC might be something like a Geely. This one reminds me of the old Lacetti:

As for The Stig, perhaps his 'Communist Cousin' could fill the role:

 

[AOS-]

If the Top Gear franchise continues branching off into more and more country-specific shows, the name is no longer going to be as special as it once was..

 

[Robin]

If the Top Gear franchise continues branching off into more and more country-specific shows, the name is no longer going to be as special as it once was..

Actually the regional shows are very unique in their own right and all they really shame is the name and the Stig. I don't see how reaching more of the globe somehow makes it less special. As it is Top Gear in this current format in the UK is going down hill and even the producers have admitted its on its last legs.

I think that at some point the new ones will become more interesting than the original because people are going to want to see something new.

Robin.

 

[VolvoV50Driver]

I'd like to see how 'toned down' the Chinese version will be. Also, the RPC might be something like a Geely.

You took the words right out my mouth!

 

[nk4e]

Jackie Chan as its hosts?

 

[sems4arsenal]

I would love if they Made on in Egypt but unless I don't Host it then No

Think it would have been more ideal if they made a Japanese one rather.

 

[W3H5]

Yaaaaaaay!

Wonderful news. Made my day.

 

[AOS-]

Jackie Chan as its hosts?

"Cao Yunjin" is Jackie Chan?


.... Wait, he's a comedian?!

 

[W3H5]

^Cheng Long

 

[Crash]

Jackie Chan hosting Top Gear in Mandarin would be interesting... I wonder how heavily accented he would be, and how much people would complain about it. This is of course assuming that Top Gear would be hosted in Mandarin anyways, which I don't see why it wouldn't be.

And will the Chinese Stig be a good enough of a driver?

 

[Robin]

I don't get why Jackie Chan has somewhat turned his back on Hong Kong, he is a HK boy through and through but you hardly even see him speak Cantonese anymore.

Robin.

 

[W3H5]

I don't get why Jackie Chan has somewhat turned his back on Hong Kong, he is a HK boy through and through but you hardly even see him speak Cantonese anymore.

Robin.

I think it's because mainland China is were he makes most of his appearances and the TV stations require stars of his quality/fame to speak Mandarin which is the actual national language of China were as Cantonese is considered a dialect used mostly in the far south of the country.

 

[YiNG_YaNG_6o4]

Could be really interesting, especially if its filled with up and coming Chinese cars, I wonder what Chinese Stig will be like and the reasonably priced car!

Robin.

The reasonably priced car will be a rickshaw hehe

I don't get why Jackie Chan has somewhat turned his back on Hong Kong, he is a HK boy through and through but you hardly even see him speak Cantonese anymore.

Robin.

It's not really turning his back on hong kong. There's just a bigger market in china and it's where they make their money from these days. Any hong kong made movie will always come out in mandarin first even tho it was originally made in cantonese. And why all hong kong singers are singing mandarin songs now days. Just catering to what brings in the money.

 

[W3H5]

The reasonably priced car will be a rickshaw hehe.

That's funny, I just spat out a mouthful of lunch at my keyboard. I like to call them 'tuktuks' because the little 125cc engines do say "tuktuktuktuktuk....." but it think that term originates in Thailand.

The only problem with Top Gear coming to China is that Chinese road laws are ambiguous at best when anyone bothers to observe them!
The chances are that any road testing done, rather than ending in mechanical failure, could possible end with a rear end shunt!

 

[Submerged]

With regards to the Manadrin speakers not quite understand Jackie Chan, it doesn't seem to make a difference whatsoever. All Chinese television programmes are generally subtitled in Manadrin Chinese anyway.

Something about the massive difference regional variations and dielects and the like...