The Clarkson Effect - Chapter 1

Love him or loathe him, no single person has done more to put motoring into British living rooms over the last 40 years.

Chapter 1 - From Paddington Bears to Top Gear

​Mention Jeremy Clarkson in any room full of British car enthusiasts and you'll probably get three reactions.

• Someone will declare him a genius.
• Someone else will call him an idiot.
• And a third person will insist he was much better before he became famous.

The truth, as usual, lies somewhere in the middle. Love him or loathe him, Jeremy Clarkson has probably done more than any other individual to shape modern British motoring culture.

Millions who had never changed a spark plug, adjusted SU carburettors or even opened a bonnet suddenly found themselves debating horsepower, lap times and the merits of a Jaguar versus a BMW because Clarkson made cars entertaining.

• Not necessarily sensible.
• Not always accurate.
  
  

But undeniably entertaining.
​And that journey started in a rather unlikely way.

​Before the Cars
Jeremy Clarkson was born in Yorkshire in April 1960 and began his working life far away from television. His parents famously built a business around selling Paddington Bear toys before Clarkson moved into journalism and local newspapers. (Wikipedia)
Like many great motoring writers, he didn't start by testing Ferraris. He started by writing whatever he could get paid for. Local newspapers led to motoring journalism, and motoring journalism led to something that would change British television forever.


The Accidental Television Star
In 1988 Clarkson joined the original format of Top Gear.
At the time, Top Gear was informative, worthy and about as exciting as a motorway service station sandwich.
Then Clarkson arrived.

According to former producer Jon Bentley, Clarkson stood out because he was opinionated, irreverent and, crucially, funny. Bentley later recalled that Clarkson could make cars entertaining rather than simply informative. (Wikipedia)
That was the breakthrough.

Clarkson understood something many television executives had missed; people don't really care about cars, they care about stories.

• A road test became a comedy sketch.
• A performance figure became an argument.
• A family hatchback became an opportunity for ridicule.

The formula sounds obvious now, but at the time it was revolutionary.

​
Why Enthusiasts Connected
Classic car owners often accuse Clarkson of being too theatrical. They're right, but that was precisely his gift. Most motoring journalists described cars; Clarkson described how cars made people feel.

• When he loved a Jaguar, viewers felt it.
• When he hated a Vauxhall, viewers knew it.
• His reviews weren't engineering reports, they were entertainment.

And because they were entertaining, millions watched.

For many enthusiasts of a certain age, Clarkson became the gateway drug to a lifetime of automotive obsession.
A teenager who tuned in for the jokes often stayed for the cars.

The British Car Factor
One reason Clarkson connected so strongly with British audiences was his affection for British motoring traditions. He could be brutally critical of British manufacturers when they deserved it, but he also understood something many commentators missed.
Cars are more than transport; they're part of our national story.

Whether discussing a Jaguar E-Type, a Range Rover or a humble Mini, Clarkson often presented cars as cultural icons rather than machines. That resonated strongly with enthusiasts. Especially those of us who know that owning an old British vehicle is rarely the logical choice.
It's an emotional one.

Controversial? Absolutely
No honest article about Clarkson can ignore controversy.
Throughout his career he has generated criticism from politicians, pressure groups, broadcasters and newspaper columnists. His outspoken style became almost as famous as the cars themselves. (Wikipedia)
Yet controversy often seemed to fuel his popularity.

Many viewers felt Clarkson was saying what ordinary enthusiasts were thinking. Others felt he crossed the line.
Either way, people kept watching and Top Gear kept growing.

A Quote That Explains Everything
Perhaps the best description of Clarkson came not from Clarkson himself but from producer Jon Bentley, who said he was "looking for someone who could make cars on television fun". (Wikipedia)
That's really the key.

• Not accurate.
• Not educational.
• Not responsible
  
  

...but definitely fun. 

​Clarkson recognised that enthusiasm is infectious. And before long, Britain was infected. By the late 1990s, the loud Yorkshireman with the floppy hair was no longer just a motoring journalist.
He was becoming a national institution.
​
In Part 2 we'll look at the period many enthusiasts still regard as the golden age: the relaunch of Top Gear, the arrival of Richard Hammond and James May, and how three middle-aged men managed to turn a motoring program into a global phenomenon.