Clarkson (partially found BBC Two talk show; 1998-2000)

The title card for the show.

Status: Partially Found

Clarkson was the name of a talk show hosted by the titular Jeremy Clarkson during his hiatus from Top Gear, and aired from late 1998 - late 2000 on BBC Two, at which point it was declined renewal for a fourth series due to falling ratings. In total, 27 episodes aired across three series, along with two compilation episodes at the end of the latter two series.

History

The show was known for its atypical presentation style, where guests were often asked inappropriate and offensive questions. A particular example of this was when then-Tory leader William Hague boasted of his teenage drinking habits. Clarkson also asked female television presenter Melinda Messenger if her breasts were real, and how many women racing driver Eddie Irvine had slept with. In one episode, Clarkson had an arm-wrestling match with future Prime Minister Boris Johnson, which Johnson won, and Clarkson reposted to his Instagram in 2020.

Preservation status

Of the 27 episodes which aired, only 1 full recording has been made available on YouTube; the Series 3 finale, which aired on the 21st of December, 2000. The episode was repeated three days later, before a final conclusive "Best of" show aired on the 27th. The show was then never aired again, nor was it ever released on home video media or made available on an online streaming service. In addition, a clip show which aired in December 1999, titled The Best of Clarkson, compiling together the best moments from the show's second series, was uploaded by user MegaLeodis in October 2013. However, both of these recordings were made in 4:3, and Clarkson, aware of the direction in which recording technology was evolving, opted to have his talk show filmed in 16:9. He would famously use and abuse this advantage by having exotic dancers perform on the extreme edges of where a 4:3 viewport would end, which 16:9 viewers would be able to see with no problem.

Due to these 4:3 recordings, there are no 16:9 recordings available of Clarkson, and of the 27 episodes which were made, at least 16 are still missing in their entirety.