Wheelbase
Wheelbase title screen
GenreMotoring
Talk show
Presented byGordon Wilkins
Cliff Michelmore
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of episodes207[dubious – discuss]
Production
Running time30 mins
Original release
NetworkBBC2
Release1964 (1964) –
1975 (1975)
Related

Wheelbase was a BBC television series about cars, that was broadcast on BBC2 between 1964 and 1975.[1]

Presenters

Amongst its presenters were Gordon Wilkins between 1964 and 1973[2] and Cliff Michelmore.[3] The show was the predecessor of Top Gear.[4]

History

Wheelbase was amongst the first programmes in the United Kingdom to be shown in colour during BBC2's "colour launching period".[5]

Wheelbase's coverage of Formula One motor racing in the late 1960s was repeated during 2007 on United Kingdom satellite channel ESPN Classic. The programmes were transmitted largely as originally broadcast, but with occasional captions to put period commentary into context.

References

  1. ^ BBC Programme Catalogue: Wheelbase
  2. ^ "Gordon Wilkins Obituary". The Times. London. 15 May 2007. Archived from the original on 6 January 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
  3. ^ Williams, Robert. "Telly Years: September 1972". TV & Radio Bits. Archived from the original on 6 January 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2008. Wheelbase presenter Cliff Michelmore's own driving skills were put to the test at Brands Hatch
  4. ^ Williams, Robert. "Telly Years: October 1964". TV & Radio Bits. Archived from the original on 6 January 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
  5. ^ Mathias PT. "BBC2 Colour Launching Programmes". British TV History. Archived from the original on 22 July 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2008.

External links


Top Gear
Categories