[eye30]

Chris Evans has said that footage of a stunt filmed near a London war memorial over the weekend should not be broadcast.

Fellow show host Matt LeBlanc and a professional driver performed "donuts" near Whitehall's Cenotaph

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35802386

[eye30]

Follow up on this


Top Gear Cenotaph stunt: Footage will not be shown, BBC says

Footage of a Top Gear stunt filmed near the Cenotaph in London over the weekend will not be shown, the BBC has said.

It comes after host Matt LeBlanc and a professional driver performed "doughnuts" near the war memorial in Whitehall.

Co-host Chris Evans apologised for the stunt, and said he and the crew were "mortified".

In a statement, the BBC apologised and said the Cenotaph was never intended to appear in the programme.

It also said it had consulted with the Metropolitan Police Film Unit and the Special Events Unit of Westminster City Council over the "large-scale, complex shoot, prepared over a period of four months".

This, the corporation said, "required numerous road closures, health and safety regulations to be in place, and also included full disclosure to local residents, including the Treasury and Foreign Office".

It added: "The Cenotaph was at no point intended to feature in the programme and therefore will not appear in the final film.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-35800187

[diablo]

I'm starting to dislike the new series of Top Gear before I've even seen one. Seemingly the first programme has had to be delayed by two weeks and the series reduced from 8 parts to 6. 

[ibrokeit]

Not that I think doing 'donuts' in a high powered car in the middle of London should have been done - even on a closed road.  Except maybe as a pre-agreed scene for a movie - AFAIK no permission was given (or had been asked) for 'donuts'.  Due the potential for road-surface damage, etc.. - plus noise and smoke pollution, etc..

However those monuments look bloody close together - I am quite damn sure they are not anywhere near as close as they appear in the video and some still shots.   People seem to think it was done 'right outside' the Cenotaph - when it, from what I can tell they must have done it 300ft away (still way too close for my liking but not right next to it).

But then the issue becomes 'when is it not disrespectful to cenotaph?' - Is there a distance? Or is it the cenotaph not being in view?  In view while any part of the action leading to the donut (i.e. racing along) or the actual action?  Or is it some combination of distance and view?

Disregarding any of the other memorials around - and the fact Derby Gate and King Charles St are not through-ways (well actually are on paper - but there is access control at one end and near-permanent barricades blocking access at the other of Derby Gate, and stairs at the other end of King Charles St) - and that some-points are a bit narrow...

• If you were (if you were able) to race down Derby Gate, starting on Whitehall (or even King Charles St - again access prohibits this - then crossing Whitehall), and do donuts at the Derby Gate & Victoria Embankment T-intersection (such as it is).   Would that be being disrespectful to the cenotaph?  As the crow flies the donut would be ~500ft away but you passed in view of it.
• Or say racing down Victoria Embankment (which is roughly parallel to Whitehall), without ever being in view of the cenotaph and donuting at same point that Derby Gate and Victoria Embankment meet.  Disrespectful?  As it is the same point as described above therefore it is the same distance - but never having been in view of the cenotaph.
• Or racing across Victoria Bridge and donuting at the large intersection (possibly where the video shown on the BBC news was shot from) where the road become 'Great George St' - i.e. in front of Winston Churchill Statue/Parliament Square - which is ~600ft away but in view.  Disrespectful?
• Or, as per previous (over the Bridge) but donuting just after the bridge at the intersection of Victoria Embankment. ~750ft away but never in view of the cenotaph.  Disrespectful?
• Or how about the other direction, along Great George street, but donuting at the Victoria Embankment intersection. Same distance away - but a split second view of the Cenotaph on the way.

Personally I would not be doing any such thing in that part of London -  there are many memorials and statues in that area which all deserve respect due to what they commemorate.   Just pointing out that it is rather very subjective on what is (dis-)respectful and how things are perceived and/or presented by the media can have a big influence on it.   Again personally I would never be donuting 300ft away - but that is just me.

[eye30]

I'd rather eat a donut