BBC’s Top Gear ran into fresh controversy over TV fakery today after admitting an L-plate traffic jam was set up for “comic effect”.
Millions watched as James May took the wheel of a £5.6 million Ferrari California Spider, owned by DJ Chris Evans, in the final episode of the latest series.
But as May, 49, drove through Windsor he was boxed in by three Peugeots bearing learner plates. “Oh God not here, don’t say you want to go backwards,” he winced as the cars manoeuvred past, inches from the Ferrari’s paintwork.
The Standard can now disclose that the drivers were not learners, but their teachers, led by Rob White who is a fully qualified Approved Driving Instructor. An instructor for the Clearway Driving School said the section, broadcast on Sunday, had been filmed in November 2009. She revealed: “We were told not to bring learner drivers because of the value of the car, so it was the instructors who were really doing the driving.
“Their remit was to get in his way and make life awkward for him. We were there for comic effect.” In the film, May voiced his fears over the possibility of an accident. He said: “I’m on real roads, with real cars.” Top Gear said today the show was “not a documentary” but accepted the line between fact and entertainment was not always clear. A spokeswoman said the driving school element had been light-hearted, but a section where schoolchildren came out to see May’s car really did happen.
