New Top Gear Australia Hosts Announced

[D3CID3R]

As mentioned previously, Top Gear Australia is changing channels down in Australia. As a part of that move, it was announced today that two of the hosts have been replaced.

The new hosts of the show will be Steve Pizzati who has previously hosted the show, actor Shane Jacobson, and Top Gear Australia editor-in-chief Ewen Page. You can read their full biographies on Top Gear Australia’s website.

[D3CID3R]

TGATV hosts - BBC Top Gear Australia

Meet the TGATV boys

Shane Jacobson (centre of pic) is best known for his popular television and film roles, but there is another side to him that fans may not be aware of. He has a passion for cars, motorbikes and amateur-level racing, and a licence for just about everything: cars, buses, motorbikes, semi-trailers, forklifts, scissor lifts and boom lifts, as well as jet skis and boats.

He also has a car collection that includes a HJ Kingswood, a HQ ute and an EH Holden. So does this make him a true-blue Holden man?

"No, I like both Holdens and Fords, and time will prove this once my collection is complete," Shane said. "Truth be told, I like many different types of cars, so now that I'm getting the chance to drive plenty of fast cars on other people's insurance, let me just say I'm as happy as Elvis in a room full of burgers.

"But the people who pay the insurance aren't quite as excited. I think they feel like Guy Fawkes has just been given the keys to an explosives factory - and they're right."

Ewen Page (right) is the editor-in-chief of Top Gear Australia magazine and the topgear.com website. In a media career spanning 28 years he has edited a variety of Australian car magazines, from Street Machine to Wheels, Motor and Auto Action. He has a passion for all things with wheels. Ewen has also been the sports editor of The Canberra Times, editor of FHM, and was the founding deputy editor of Zoo Weekly.

"With Shane's comic talents and Steve's driving prowess, I'm aiming to bring a more urbane, intellectual feel to the show. I will be testing Saabs exclusively, wearing black turtleneck sweaters and featuring in extended stories on the car and its role in modern society. Or doing burnouts in a Falcon ute" he said.

Steve Pizzati (left) is an advanced driving instructor, racing driver, freelance motoring journalist and stunt driver. In 1985 he fell in love with fast cars and fast machines after watching Ayrton Senna compete in the Australian Formula One Grand Prix. His first car was a "very cool" 1971 Mk2 Cortina GT. Basically, if it's got wheels and it's fast, he's either driven it, raced it, jumped it, or set fire to it.

Asked to describe himself, Steve said: "Eat + sleep + incessant travel + seriously cool driving = my life, but I am currently trying to remove the first three parts of the equation. I'm thrilled to be on the show doing a job that even the Apollo astronauts would be envious of."

[Ace_VP]

Should be interesting. That Charlie clown in the first season didnt do it for me, Jim Morrison was better. Its not so much the presenters that are the issue, its the fact that they tried to match each one to the UK hosts. If they stop trying to copy the UK top gear and do something original and unique to Oz then it might rise in popularity.

[TVR-190]

I liked warren best, shame they got rid of him. Will still give these guys a chance. Don't like their odds with Channel 9 at the helm however.

[ClairBear]

I will still refuse to watch it. There is only TG in my opinion... the original UK one. Stuff your copy cats.

[Ace_VP]

I liked warren best, shame they got rid of him. Will still give these guys a chance. Don't like their odds with Channel 9 at the helm however.

No, CH9 did a good job at ruining Top Gear UK. Supersized episode my rear end, I can supersize home and away aswell with 1hr of adds LOL

I also agree that there will never another true top gear, but I love cars so I watch the Aus version simply for that.

[cracker]

channel 9 wreck topgear, a 50 mins show strung along with heaps of adds its too hard to follow/enjoy it for what it is.

[carra909]

the uk version isnt that good any more... it was going down hill not matter if it was at sbs or 9, the bbc had decided to turn it into more of a mainstream show. its far to scripted for my liking compared to the earlier season

[seraphic06]

Oh good lord. Why do they bother? Cut your losses and scrap the Oz show.

[VesperZ]

Yea I just don't think the Australian copy has the same feel to it as the UK version. You can't create something off something and expect the same results. So sorry I will never support Top Gear Australia where as I will continue to support Top Gear UK. A combination like Clarkson, Hammond and May cannot be beaten!

[Grennan]

Seriously? Shane Jacobson? Yeah good game Ch9.

[HRVATSKI_VOJNIK]

Shane Jacobson is better then Shane Warne from what was originally planed i guess