1977: ANGELA RIPPON on the FIRST EVER TOP GEAR | Top Gear | Retro Transport | BBC Archive

Tom Coyne introduces the first edition of an exciting new BBC motoring show, Top Gear.
The first item on the programme sees newsreader Angela Rippon making the journey from BBC Television Centre in London to Pebble Mill Studios Birmingham, on the M1 motorway. As a journalist, Angela spends a good deal of her time driving, and she shares her thoughts on some of the bad driving behaviour that she often sees on the road.
During a stop at a motorway service station, Angela asks customers what they think of the service provided, and whether it represents value for money for motorists.
Originally broadcast, 22 April, 1977.
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[@TheRealBobHickman]

"Egg & Chips and a cup of coffee, a pound! That's not exactly cheap is it?" - Love how direct people were in the 70s.

[@E30Sawyer]

Looked it up and it would be the equivilent of £5.60 today, so she's got a point. :D

[@martiningram2397]

Great mirrors on her capri, 365 degrees visibility!

[@UpTheAnte1987]

I’m wondering if the fact the motorway services manager used the phrase “365 days a year” three times lodged that number in her head 😂

[@mikenco]

Overlap!

[@robinvanags912]

When Angela Rippon took part in the great children's programme 'Star Turn' - one round involved passages of speech with hidden car names - I remember her saying: "We can't afford capriciousness such as that".

[@JonHullock]

What a TV delight Angela Rippon. I would gladly go back to those days in a flash.

[@djdrwatson]

3:23 £4 in 1977 = £22.46 in 2023 5:10 4 star petrol in 1977, 91p per gallon = 20p a litre!! 😱; 83p per gallon = 18p a litre!! 😱

[@qtrust]

I came here for this. Breakfast for three for £22.46. Bargain.

[@scsutton1]

Somewhere in Yorkshire, a then 17 year old Jeremy Clarkson sat up and took notice. In Birmingham, a then 7 year old Richard Hammond did the same and in Bristol, so did a then 14 year old James May. Just over 25 years later, they all came together and made this the biggest car show... in the world.

[@swaneknoctic9555]

Bread and circuses.

[@heraldeventsandfilms5970]

Biggest r.soles in the world.

[@jmshrrsn]

Hmmmm. Three over privileged school boys who never grew up. I liked this old school Top Gear as much as, ironically, I liked the three silly rsoles doing silly things in silly cars . . .

[@TheBritFromOz008]

Jeremy joined Original Top Gear in 1988; he was quite different to the Jeremy you'd be familiar with in the 2002-2015 iteration of the program, but there's plenty in his 1988-1999 work you'd recognise in the revival. James May also very briefly presented original Top Gear for all of one season as Clarkson's replacement in 1999; again, not quite "Captain Slow" yet but still recognisable. Neither Jason Dawe or Richard Hammond ever presented the original Top Gear; Jason was a stand-in for James as the latter was hesitant and only with the success of Season 1 did he change his mind.

[@bluesque9687]

Jeremy took notice, not sure about the other two! And then, Jeremy found the other two!

[@UpTheAnte1987]

I can’t believe the first car ever shown on screen in Top Gear was a brown Austin Allegro 😂

[@carlbirtles4518]

And it had 2 doors, like the Allegro Estate Hammond’s dad bought.

[@TestGearJunkie.]

I had one of those. Same colour, too. Bloody thing dropped an exhaust valve going round the Coventry ring road 🤬

[@leemaniac9091]

Angela has 365 degree vision :)

[@BadgerBotherer1]

Angela has always had a little bit more of most things than everyone else.

[@danyoutube7491]

She looks all around, and then double checks the first bit :)

[@markgatland977]

This is TV gold. Thank you

[@johnmc3862]

The restaurant looks like something out of the Shining.

[@Stickleback]

I was 5 in 1977 and i was well established with cars and motorsport, i was already a regular passenger in a MK1 Capri.

[@richardbrown1189]

Blimey, AR 46 years ago! She still looks fantastic today.

[@bardo0007]

She's still working?

[@alexkelly6449]

Can you release all of classic top gear ?

[@keithbutler2222]

365 degrees vision? That's impressive!

[@TheRealBobHickman]

That's inflation for you. Lucky if we get 360 degrees these days. ;)

[@andydixon2980]

As a driving instructor, Angela Rippon is a very sensible lass on the roads. I wonder what she thinks of most drivers these days.

[@danyoutube7491]

I like the fact that she is looking at the road and not glancing over at the camera every few seconds as presenters often do, being sensible.

[@AtheistOrphan]

0:38 - An Allegro in the classic BL ‘Poo Brown’.

[@pit_stop77]

Devon to London was probably an easier drive in 77 than it is now

[@Laura-sg6ss]

Yh probably

[@carlbirtles4518]

Less cars back then.

[@Laura-sg6ss]

@@carlbirtles4518 mmm I guess so... but fr?? I mean outside of London the transport must have been more horrible than now right? Wouldn't they rely on the cars more?

[@stevenjohnson7442]

It was a cakewalk,then. And £1, for breakfast was expensive than...wow😮

[@stuartmiller7419]

Tom Coyne. Wow, that takes me back.

[@ruskie6548]

Tax on that Capri expired in 1991. Be great if it's still around. Imagine having a car bought new by Angela Rippon and it being on the first Top Gear

[@CricketEngland]

Angela Rippon was the only Top Gear presenter to fail a drugs test.

[@robinvanags912]

In 1977 she was also contributing pieces to the AA's 'Drive' magazine.

[@raftonpounder6696]

She ate some poppy seeds off a loaf.

[@CricketEngland]

@@raftonpounder6696yes she did

[@raftonpounder6696]

@@CricketEngland yes.

[@TravelHonestly]

Loving that Capri!!

[@GABLADER]

Thank you so much for starting all this, Angela! 🤗

[@adamcormie3362]

She's still a class act, Angela :)

[@bardo0007]

The very first dashcam in that car. I am impressed!

[@assistantto007]

That 2 ltr capri last changed hands in 91, I wonder if its been crushed or if its languishing in someone's shed?

[@TestGearJunkie.]

Have to get Jonny Smith to find out.

[@jacobrumens9601]

I hope they release the rest of the footage of this episode.

[@secretagentbloke]

Expensive motorway services back then, thankfully things have changed now 😂

[@spankflaps1365]

The old TG theme reminds me of “Jewelled” remix by Propaganda, the theme for BBC WRC in the 80s.

[@michaelturner4457]

The original TG theme was actually Jessica by The Allman Brothers.

[@Gent82]

Helpful link to Propaganda - Jewelled here on KZbin kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4PTiaqsqrVpg6ssi=ui-tj6clW-fFgRBe theme tune to Top Gear Rally Report in the 80's and 90's.

[@johno4521]

​@@michaelturner4457...and the ending theme was 'Out Of The Blue' by Elton John.

[@garychilver7642]

Love this

[@fintan2830]

365 Degree vision? Does she use 1 degree per day? Where did the extra 5 degrees come from? Did the Capri have special mirrors? 😅

[@Jack_Warner]

Brilliant, I think Top Gear lost its way after the 1990's. I remember William Woolard presenting Top Gear, he was another professional broadcaster, similar to John Stapleton.

[@coinmanthehbarbarian2342]

Well, I feel entertained by that. Petrol Forecourt price discrepancies and the efficacy of mirrors. 👏👏👏

[@DANCEGARAGEPUNK]

Actual car information : ) - So much better than the infantile Clarkson years ! ! : )

[@marinadela1361]

Such an icon.

[@cashawX10]

It seemed to be a theme of these sorts of BBC programmes back then, have a couple of items which sound quite interesting... then a long, boring monotonous discussion with a parliamentary minister.

[@johno4521]

The pace needs to step up a gear, I found myself glazing over a couple of minutes into Angela's monologue. It would be quite a few years before Clarkson & co came along and shook things up. I have an old episode of TG on VHS where Chris Goffey and William Woolard spend exactly one third of the programme discussing the rear leg room in a Passat! 🥱

[@CricketEngland]

When ever you think of a Capri you always think of the tv series Minder

[@kofib3]

Or The Professionals..

[@buxvan]

Yes SLE51R

[@Stairway1976]

SLE 71R 😂

[@trickygoose2]

Or young guys called Dave or Gary or something like that from Essex

[@buxvan]

@@Stairway1976 whoops! Nearly right.

[@reubengv_]

RIPPOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!!!

[@JoeyCbr]

I’m watching this without a TV licence 😮

[@fd5927]

Freeloader, have you even paid taxes 😊

[@chidlowt]

Tom Coyne !

[@jazzhands7771]

She was and is a class act

[@lanehogger1532]

Over 40000 miles a year was a lot then. Must have been a lot of oil changes for the Capri 😂

[@Redchannelconditions]

Probably about one a month!

[@Teichlmen-MZF]

The 1977 Top Gear series was infomative and intelligent compared to burge from Clarkson to Harris. Recent got cancelled dunno why

[@kofib3]

Those seats in her Capri looked like nice comfy Armchairs. I wonder what spec she had.

[@deanplant1500]

Ghia spec capri

[@MrMann0123]

Yeah looks like a Ghia

[@TestGearJunkie.]

No seat belts though, or if it had any she wasn't wearing one 🙄

[@scottbogfoot]

6:16 she has a 365° vision 😂

[@JoeyCbr]

I bet those steel servery trays are still in use today

[@skullandbones1832]

❤

[@Bernz66]

Nice Ford Capri…. I had a 1979 model….

[@andyrobertshaw9120]

Wow! Great video. I reckon we multiply the money by 10. So £3.49 is £34.90 in today’s money. When she said 365 degree vision, where do the extra 5 degrees come from?

[@the_Overproof]

I thought the exact same thing about her 365º comment

[@trickygoose2]

She has the power of sight every day of the year? 1977 wasn't a leap year.

[@cambs0181]

Just checked the inflation. 91p is £5.10 in todays money. Don't know if it was gallon or litre though.

[@trickygoose2]

It would have been for a gallon. I think it changed to litres in about the mid 1980s.

[@jimthompson939]

I'd move to London, problem sorted.

[@Lee_1971]

"The past is a foreign country" - this may as well be Mars ...

[@heraldeventsandfilms5970]

Life on Mars.

[@enigmagenesis7341]

This begs the question: Why didn't the BBC revamp the show again after the departure of Clarkson &Co instead of trying to recreate exactly the same format??

[@GaryJohnWalker1]

Agreed, a retro 'revamp' back to basics like this would've been good. Not trying to replicate the trio, and changing course back to consumer priorities

[@davidkmatthews]

Apparently by the late 1990s the audience level was falling. I think that the show was actually officially cancelled in 2000... but Jeremy Clarkson managed to convince the BBC that a change of format might rejuvenate its flagging ratings.

[@dannyrobbo]

365degrees of vision while sat in the middle lane 🫣

[@jazztheglass6139]

1977, Year of the Silver Jubilee, death of Elvis and Charlie Chaplin, Fleetwood Mac release rumours

[@barrymorris7856]

1977

[@jazztheglass6139]

@@barrymorris7856 mistyped, whoops

[@michaelturner4457]

Never mind the bollocks here's the Sex Pistols

[@jeniferallan6693]

And Sting meets Stewart Copeland

[@sprint955st]

6:36 might try driving in the left hand lane a bit more

[@davidkmatthews]

Yes, she's clearly a member of the Middle Lane Owners' Club!

[@Redchannelconditions]

I’d love to know what Peter King three manager is doing now Id like to see how he is after decades of 12 hour night shifts.

[@williamtaylor874]

very attractive lady then and now !

[@martynatkins1351]

4 quid 😂 dinner. Lol

[@octap79]

365 degrees....???

[@turboslag]

Getting confused with days in a year I think!

[@RD-dl9ms]

A mysterious hand on the backseat at approx 0:59.

[@fd5927]

It's called "camera crew". They had that back in the 70's.

[@paulbernard2397]

'With my 3 mirrors I have 365° of vision' 😂? I think her journalistic hyperbole got the better of her there...

[@Grunchy005]

I didn’t realize it had the same theme song since the very beginning! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooWYo5WtlJmmd9E

[@hoilst265]

Not enough car journos wear cravats.

[@TestGearJunkie.]

Or seat belts.

[@jamesmccallum6770]

Haha, I better Angela dished up terrible meals to her family, as she was too busy nattering to plan a decent dish. 😂

[@MrKpsuk84]

R.I.P Top Gear 1977 - 2022 (the only way it could return is if it reverted back to the consumer format used upto and including 2001)

[@CricketEngland]

£4 in 1970 is £52.43

[@w00df0rd]

It's about £23.

[@raftonpounder6696]

It’s £22.46.

[@CricketEngland]

Sorry according to the Bank of England inflation calculator it’s actually £52.43 So I don’t know how you 2 worked it out incorrectly

[@giles321321]

It’s 1977 not 1970.

[@MrMann0123]

My calculator thingy online said £30.65

[@bobkoroua]

No seat belt

[@fd5927]

Good point, YET. As a kid of the 70s, remember tv advert / public information film "Klink Klunk Every Trip" with .... Oh my god, Jimmy Savile..... Jeeeesus...... what's worse, Angela Rippon not wearing a seat belt or Jimmy Savile warning people to wear a seat belt. ?!?!??????!??!?!??

[@bobkoroua]

@@fd5927 Jimmy was a perv and the BBC knew. Hard to get your head around it. They let him die with his name intact laughing up his sleeve at the world.

[@turboslag]

I was bored with TG by the time Clarkson and crew were sacked, the formula had become predictable. Fun and excitement is fine but when you know what the punch line is every time, it's time to change. As for what replaced them, less said the better!

[@milehighclassics]

Capri and NO SEAT BELT basics even then plus 5 pints of mild thanks and one for the road

[@TestGearJunkie.]

And she wasn't wearing a seat belt, either.

[@AtheistOrphan]

6:16 - How did she manage to obtain an extra five degrees of vision?

[@mikenco]

Overlap!

[@CM73878]

Isn’t the presentation flat by today’s standards

[@jameswalsh477]

I don't think she's wearing a seat belt.

[@raftonpounder6696]

Why would she be?

[@scsutton1]

They weren't made compulsory until 1983.

[@mrjdsworld80]

I thought the same at first, but she is…you can see it at 7:08 over her shoulder.

[@raftonpounder6696]

@@mrjdsworld80 she had no requirement to be wearing it. It wasn’t law for another six years.

[@TestGearJunkie.]

@@raftonpounder6696 Why isn't she should be the question.

[@thetwistedsock3253]

Nag, nag, nag 😁

[@limeyosu2000]

A pound for breakfast what a outrage !😜 crap be lucky to get a ketchup packet for that today !

[@CricketEngland]

2:39 What have you never seen a woman putting on her makeup while driving, strange that…

[@heraldeventsandfilms5970]

ThickieEngland. Get some literacy lessons.

[@CricketEngland]

@@heraldeventsandfilms5970idiot

[@JonHiddenColey]

Angela the middle lane hogger!

[@Laura-sg6ss]

9 to 3 😋😋😋 1:50 💯💯💯 factss, most of them are men let's be real and the road rage 😭 men men men men menly men hoo-hoo-hoooooo ho men men men men menly men men ah-hhaaaaaaaa MEEEEEEENNN! Also £2 meal😭😭 SIGH. I'm not doing this anymore. I mean the meal is ass lets be so real but still. 😭😭😭 "A pound, it's not exactly cheap is it??" aHHHHHHHHHHHHH i am fainting currently. FAINTING.

[@Jayfive276]

Are you OK? Do you want me to call someone?

[@moominmay]

@@Jayfive276the fact the comment is edited also 😅

[@rovingenglishman]

That was a jolly good whinge

[@patsyhowse1919]

I much prefer the older Top Gear- up until Quentin Wilson for me, couldn't stand Clarkon and what it turned into!

[@TheJohnboii]

Typical woman sitting in the middle lane on the motorway at her steady pace.

[@markoasdadriver6285]

I’m surprised top gear became a huge hit. I was bored watching this. Thought it was about 🚘

[@TheStevenWhiting]

2:15 I can't stand that. Men do it as well. It's fine talking in a car but when you're behind and can see them repeatly looking at the person in the passenger seat. Why? You don't need to look at the person. Keep your eyes on the pissing road!

[@benwilliams2135]

4m56s Poor guy didn't looked 'not long for this world'.

[@jasonayres]

Oh dear. There's no warning at the beginning of today's video about offensive misandrist language.

[@carlcarlson983]

What misandrist language? You mean the bit where she says men can also be bad drivers? Oh God, how awful! Better find yourself a safe space in the corner and have a good cry about some reasonable comments made in a 46 year old video.

[@rosemarycollyer7008]

People spoke so differently !

[@BadgerBotherer1]

Better, properly, clearly !

[@turboslag]

Yeah, they spoke properly, not the slang ridden, bad grammer, mispronounced nonsense that passes for speech now!

[@BadgerBotherer1]

@@turboslag GrammAr, not grammEr! Silly Slag!