The Car Show (partially found British Channel 5 television series; 1997-1998)

The only known promotional material for The Car Show, featuring Mariella Frostrup and an Aston Martin.

Status: Partially Found

The Car Show was the name of British television channel Channel 5's imaginatively-titled automotive program, intended as a rival to the BBC's long-running Top Gear. It first aired around July of 1997, as that is when an Independent article references lead presenter, Norwegian journalist Mariella Frostrup, as having commenced her role on the show. It is also when the earliest available mention of the program on publicly-available Radio Times listings has been digitized. Frostrup was accompanied in this role by Tris Payne. It aired until at least August of 1998, on what appeared to be a weekly basis, similar to its rivals. It would be succeeded by 5th Gear from April 2002, which ironically featured much of the cast and crew of the show The Car Show was originally pitted against.

It is known for featuring the earliest presenting role of James May, who would go on to present Driven and the aforementioned Top Gear. Two heavily damaged frames from an amateur VHS recording was posted to a Pistonheads forum thread in 2016.

In 2021 and 2022, Dag Jab uploaded the 9th October and 16th October 1997 episodes to Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V30ShFDtO7Q 9th October 1997 Part 1 (Featuring James May)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRxhfXbB9qg 9th October 1997 Part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD3mGZqMZwg 16th October 1997 Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvGOmyCCtyE 16th October 1997 Part 2

Gallery

• 

  James May presenting for The Car Show.

• 

  Another still frame featuring Charles Morgan.

See Also

Milkshake!

• Jelly Jamm (partially found pitch pilot of British Spanish children's animated TV series; 2009)
• Peppa Pig (found pitch pilot of British children's animated TV series; 2002)
• Pip Ahoy! (partially found unaired pilot of animated series; 2013)