Top Gear

Same name, same theme tune, same brand (the non Top Gear brand extensions continued), same production company... it's a continuation of the same programme just with a different format.

But which 'garage' is this going to be driven into in the BBC One schedules?
I'm really struggling to think of a suitable slot.
Sunday 8pm is drama/Antiques Roadshow territory.

Pre- Match Of The Day would be a) a bit too late and b) point the finger that it's going back to its male car driver roots.

Weeknight 8pm slot, doesn't seem the right fit, plus you've got some unmovable popular shows that have taken root in there.

So, thinking Countryfile at 6, Top Gear at 7 - but if you are looking for complimentary shows for a lead-in to it (not that it needs it as BBC Two audience will move across with no prompting) they are rather awkward bedfellows.

Doesn't seem the right move really - it's home is Sundays 8pm and having it alternate with Call the Midwife or follow Strictly doesn't work.

If it moves nights Monday 9pm might be best - think it'll get lost later in the week.

Indeed - it was on BBC1 when it was a Midlands-only programme.

This makes BBC Two look even weaker than it does already with no clear remit, it’s biggest shows taken from it, many hours just simulcasting the news channel.

Airing it at Sunday at 8pm will be a right gear change, alternating with Antiques Roadshow and airing after Countryfile. The elderly audience that makes up the biggest chunk of the viewers on a Sunday night won’t know what hit them.

Well if they can survive Peaky Blinders and Line of Duty, I imagine they can survive Top Gear.

Remember they tried QI for a while on BBC One and shifted it back to Two? Sometimes things don’t fit on another channel.

It fitted in fine and doubled its ratings, it only went back because the then controller of BBC ONE Danny Cohen didn't like it and wanted to free up development cash. Which ironically was mostly spent on a reboot of the old BBC 2 format Room 101.

Genome to the rescue: BBC1 Midlands.
https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1977-04-22

Ta!

Interesting that after 23:15 the listings switch to minute accuracy

Oddly if you watch the first series of the rebooted Top Gear, other than the fact it had studio segments and the star in a reasonably priced car, it was closer to the original format compared to what it became. The first report they did was a long segment about how reasonably priced A converted Citroen van was. That's why i've always considered it the same show from 1978.

Couldn't the same be said for Countryfile and Doctor Who, which is currently on that same timeslot?