http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...ety-fears.html
Top Gear backs out of Italian Job stunt over health and safety fears
The BBC television show Top Gear has pulled out of a challenge to film a new solution to the cliffhanger that marks the climax to the film The Italian Job, citing fears over health and safety.
At the end of the 1969 film, the robbers' coach almost drives off a cliff, ending up balanced precariously on the edge, with the gang at one end and their gold at the other. At which point, Sir Michael Caine's character Charlie Croker announces: "Hang on a minute lads – I've got a great idea."
But nobody ever found out what it was and, crucially, whether it worked.
So, last October, the Royal Society of Chemistry asked people to work out a method to extract the gold within 30 minutes without using a helicopter, and prove it with maths.
John Godwin, 39, an IT manager from Godalming in Surrey, beat 2,000 people to draft a solution to safely remove the 3.2 tons of gold.
Soon after, presenter James May and producers from Top Gear contacted the RSC to see if they could film his scenario to extricate the gold without toppling the 1964 Bedford VAL14 coach and the gang over the edge.
Firstly, four windows should be smashed: two large central windows just 'airside' of the pivot should be knocked outwards; then two smaller windows above the twin front axles, inwards.
Then a man should be lowered through the smaller windows to let down the four inflated front tyres, which Mr Goodwin said were acting as "springs" and exaggerating the rocking motion.
Thirdly – and most importantly – the near-full fuel tank should be emptied.
This would enable one of the 10-strong gang to get off and gather rocks to further weigh the bus down.
However last night, the BBC programme pulled out of the challenge citing Health and safety concerns.
Jon Edwards, of The Royal Society of Chemistry, told the Daily Telegraph: "We had to ring Top Gear to ask about the filming and they said 'after looking at the costing, health and safety it was too expensive to make the bus safe and we're going to have to pull out'.
"The producer and James May initially came down to our office and spent hours talking through how it could work.
"Now they've decided they can't go that far. They can't make the challenge and pay homage to the most revered car film of all time."
"We are very disappointed. We had already agreed to supply the chemists for the experiment. In fact there was a queue at the door of chemists willing to risk their necks.
"This would have been an excellent opportunity to promote chemistry," he said "It's a big shame.
"The people at Top Gear are so well known for risk taking – but it seems this was too much."
A BBC spokesman said: "We thought it would be brilliant to recreate the Italian Job scene, so we were disappointed when, having spent a lot of time researching all the options thoroughly with the Royal Society of Chemistry, we found that the cost of the stunt was massively prohibitive for one short film in one programme. We've got a set budget and we think we can make that money go further elsewhere."
Last week, Top Gear was told by BBC producers to use fewer £200,000 supercars and devote more screen time to smaller, cheaper models.
Plans to feature Lamborghini, Ferrari and a Porsche in the new series have been abandoned in favour "unfashionable" classics like the Citroen Ami 8 and a Lanchester.
Top Gear backs out of Italian Job stunt over health and safety fears
The BBC television show Top Gear has pulled out of a challenge to film a new solution to the cliffhanger that marks the climax to the film The Italian Job, citing fears over health and safety.
At the end of the 1969 film, the robbers' coach almost drives off a cliff, ending up balanced precariously on the edge, with the gang at one end and their gold at the other. At which point, Sir Michael Caine's character Charlie Croker announces: "Hang on a minute lads – I've got a great idea."
But nobody ever found out what it was and, crucially, whether it worked.
So, last October, the Royal Society of Chemistry asked people to work out a method to extract the gold within 30 minutes without using a helicopter, and prove it with maths.
John Godwin, 39, an IT manager from Godalming in Surrey, beat 2,000 people to draft a solution to safely remove the 3.2 tons of gold.
Soon after, presenter James May and producers from Top Gear contacted the RSC to see if they could film his scenario to extricate the gold without toppling the 1964 Bedford VAL14 coach and the gang over the edge.
Firstly, four windows should be smashed: two large central windows just 'airside' of the pivot should be knocked outwards; then two smaller windows above the twin front axles, inwards.
Then a man should be lowered through the smaller windows to let down the four inflated front tyres, which Mr Goodwin said were acting as "springs" and exaggerating the rocking motion.
Thirdly – and most importantly – the near-full fuel tank should be emptied.
This would enable one of the 10-strong gang to get off and gather rocks to further weigh the bus down.
However last night, the BBC programme pulled out of the challenge citing Health and safety concerns.
Jon Edwards, of The Royal Society of Chemistry, told the Daily Telegraph: "We had to ring Top Gear to ask about the filming and they said 'after looking at the costing, health and safety it was too expensive to make the bus safe and we're going to have to pull out'.
"The producer and James May initially came down to our office and spent hours talking through how it could work.
"Now they've decided they can't go that far. They can't make the challenge and pay homage to the most revered car film of all time."
"We are very disappointed. We had already agreed to supply the chemists for the experiment. In fact there was a queue at the door of chemists willing to risk their necks.
"This would have been an excellent opportunity to promote chemistry," he said "It's a big shame.
"The people at Top Gear are so well known for risk taking – but it seems this was too much."
A BBC spokesman said: "We thought it would be brilliant to recreate the Italian Job scene, so we were disappointed when, having spent a lot of time researching all the options thoroughly with the Royal Society of Chemistry, we found that the cost of the stunt was massively prohibitive for one short film in one programme. We've got a set budget and we think we can make that money go further elsewhere."
Last week, Top Gear was told by BBC producers to use fewer £200,000 supercars and devote more screen time to smaller, cheaper models.
Plans to feature Lamborghini, Ferrari and a Porsche in the new series have been abandoned in favour "unfashionable" classics like the Citroen Ami 8 and a Lanchester.
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