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Hamster: The Story of Richard Hammond
Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/alextgrf62537
Patreon: www.patreon.com/user?u=67242317
Twitter: @GearknobAlex
The story of Top Gear's beloved Hamster.
So many rewrites, as I just wasn't happy with this video for a long time. Again, my profoundest apologies.
I really thought I'd ironed all the kinks by March at the latest, and had just committed to my final render. Hours, possibly even just minutes in, there was a disconcerting click, some crunching, and everything going black.
The video had killed my motherboard. Further deconstruction revealed all four of the flimsy plastic bolts holding the CPU fan in place had suffered heat-related fatigue and finally failed. How I didn't lose everything at that moment honestly confounds me.
By the time I looked at it again a couple weeks later with the new parts having arrived and been fitted, I realised it was mediocre. Not terrible, but not as good as it could have been. I rushed through large chunks of time, glossing over a lot of key things, and it notably under-ran to just 90 minutes instead of the 2 hours I was aiming for.
So throughout March and into April, I scripted, recorded, and inserted new dialogue. Yet even after all my additions, the video still only ran up to a total of about 107 minutes.
Finally, come late April, I had the script I was looking for. By now the video was over 140 minutes long and needed a fair bit of cutting.
Sadly, right at the end, I lost two renders thanks to the stupid way in which Vegas works.
Among many flaws that have been left unpatched since the Sony days, a video file requires way more than what it says it needs. It basically requires twice the space, because if I'm correct, the way Vegas renders video is it slowly renders a hidden copy, then outputs the finished file. Because I only had 31 GB for an 18 GB video, I lost the final 40 minutes as Vegas ran out of bytes to write to. So I had to start all over again after clearing up as much space as I possibly could.
Anyway, about the video itself.
This documentary chronicles the history of Top Gear's short bloke in an audiovisual manner for what I believe to be the very first time. I thoroughly cover Richard Hammond's early years as a mere boy growing up in the heart of Britain's troubled automotive history, his first forays into media production, promotion to TV and landing his dream job on Top Gear, only for things to go rather pear-shaped just 4 years in. But through sheer determination and an unkillable passion for the automobile, Hammond bounced back and established himself as the necessary contrast between the larger, blokier Clarkson and May, triumphantly rounding off Top Gear's Holy Trinity.
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
03:08 - Chapter 1: The Pup
12:35 - Chapter 2: Men, Motors & Multimedia
24:44 - Chapter 3: Getting Into (Top) Gear
30:33 - Chapter 4: Dawn of The Driving God
45:22 - Chapter 5: For Want of a Dodge...
59:53 - Chapter 6: A Dare Too Far...
1:16:57 - Chapter 7: Hammond's Lost Year, A Win For Top Gear?
1:34:07 - Chapter 8: Outside The Hamster's Cage
1:46:32 - Chapter 9: Hopping The Pond, Growing The Beard
2:02:18 - Chapter 10: Epilogue and Closing Statements
Переглядів: 58 965

Відео

Conceptually Flawed: A Coda
Переглядів 55 тис.6 місяців тому
Not intended to be clickbait, just some thoughts to hopefully tide most of you over until the next big video (Hamster: The Richard Hammond Story) which I've been working on for far longer than I ever would have liked to. Again, no-one's fault but mine. Gearknob's two cents on the immediate future of Top Gear, or its lack thereof. Rather timely given recent news of Grand Tour's end as well (thou...
The Top Gear Iceberg Explained
Переглядів 1,1 млнРік тому
In this video, I attempt to explain my very own take on what I call the Top Gear Iceberg. Since I'm not particularly a fan of the Iceberg format, it does try to follow it as much as possible but this is really a sort of hybrid "did you know" type of video with some satirical bits thrown in at the end. Bit of a warning for headphone users at 10:41, as I'd forgotten to script a bit for Hammond's ...
Jason Dawe: Top Gear's Forgotten Host
Переглядів 228 тис.Рік тому
Without further ado, I bring to you a video that goes in-depth on the career of Jason Dawe, Top Gear's original third host before James May, who initially refused to host before changing mind after Dawe's release from the programme in early 2003. I felt this was a story that needed to be told in full, as it had never been done before. Most sources essentially memory-hole all Dawe did prior to 2...
Important Channel Update
Переглядів 7 тис.Рік тому
Hey again everyone! Been a while, hasn't it? So, as you've probably noticed, I've mostly laid low since March. During that time, personal problems somewhat spiraled out of control and curtailed what I was working on, although now I feel a lot more committed and able to deliver the goods starting from this month. Note that this was recorded on June 30th, so when I say "today" in regards to the J...
Top Gear Lost Media: A Prelude
Переглядів 19 тис.2 роки тому
A small video which is about a month behind schedule due to factors outside of my control. I do apologise for these unforeseen delays and hope to get back to a "regular" routine starting from this week. I ordered these three items back in late January, and intended to make a video about them towards the end of the following month, a week or two after my MPH '05 upload. I filmed most of the dial...
MPH '05: Full Top Gear Live Show (Remastered)
Переглядів 12 тис.2 роки тому
Starring Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and Tiff Needell. MPH, as I'm sure you're aware, was the original name for Top Gear Live back when it was a joint production between Brand Events and the presenters of BBC Two's Top Gear and Channel 5's Fifth Gear upon its inception in 2003, before it became a wholly Top Gear-themed show starting from 2007, rebranding as Top Gear Live the year after. So...
Britain's Forgotten Sportscar: The FBS Census
Переглядів 11 тис.2 роки тому
Spurred on by the success of similar small-volume manufacturers such as Jensen, Noble, and TVR, FBS tried ever so hard to carve out its own path under its two visionary leaders, Andrew Barber and Robin Hall. But for whatever reason, it just didn't work out. This video dives into the previously-uncharted history of the Census, its design and development, brief sales performance, and the company'...
A Quick Message
Переглядів 17 тис.2 роки тому
Just a quick message, clearing up a couple things that confused a few viewers during my last two videos and a very grateful thank you to those who have donated so far. There WILL be more content in the future. ;) Subscribe to my new channel here, which is where I will post all non-TG related content: ua-cam.com/channels/GT3hyqeDf-k6S8lqwcvimg.html You can support me at these links: ko-fi.com/al...
How Three Idiots (Accidentally) Conquered The World: The Story of Top Gear, Part 2
Переглядів 1,2 млн2 роки тому
In 2010, Top Gear became the biggest show… in the world. Not even a decade earlier, it was an irrelevant, burnt-out shell that was extremely unlikely to ever reclaim its former glory, let alone become anything more substantial. Sorry for the delay - I had to rescript more than half of what you see before you, this part was originally 37 minutes long and bears little resemblance to how it looks ...
Rally Report - Series 16, Episode 4 (22/11/1999)
Переглядів 2,6 тис.3 роки тому
Day 2 of the 1999 Network Q RAC Rally, as presented by Steve Rider and the rest of the Top Gear crew. Reupload of a video that was once available on UA-cam, but has since been removed. Steve Shaw is concurrently uploading his recordings of the 1998 and 1999 rallies, so it looks like we'll have these two seasons finished by the end of the week. Decided to dedicate this week's uploads in memory o...
Rally Report - Series 16, Episode 3 (21/11/1999)
Переглядів 9053 роки тому
Summary of the first day of the 1999 Network Q RAC Rally, as presented by Steve Rider and the rest of the Top Gear crew. Reupload of a video that was once available on UA-cam, but has since been removed. Steve Shaw is concurrently uploading his recordings of the 1998 and 1999 rallies, so it looks like we'll have these two seasons finished by the end of the week. Decided to dedicate this week's ...
Rally Report - Series 16, Episode 2 (21/11/1999)
Переглядів 1,2 тис.3 роки тому
Hour long live stage of the 1999 Network Q RAC Rally, as presented by Steve Rider and the rest of the Top Gear crew. Reupload of a video that was once available on UA-cam, but has since been removed. Steve Shaw is concurrently uploading his recordings of the 1998 and 1999 rallies, so it looks like we'll have these two seasons finished by the end of the week. Decided to dedicate this week's uplo...
Rally Report - Series 15, Episode 5 (24/11/1998)
Переглядів 7783 роки тому
Rally Report - Series 15, Episode 5 (24/11/1998)
Rally Report - Series 15, Episode 4 (23/11/1998)
Переглядів 9333 роки тому
Rally Report - Series 15, Episode 4 (23/11/1998)
Rally Report - Series 15, Episode 3 (22/11/1998)
Переглядів 7733 роки тому
Rally Report - Series 15, Episode 3 (22/11/1998)
Rally Report - Series 15, Episode 1 (21/11/1998)
Переглядів 7823 роки тому
Rally Report - Series 15, Episode 1 (21/11/1998)
Rally Report - Series 10 Preview (20/11/1993)
Переглядів 3183 роки тому
Rally Report - Series 10 Preview (20/11/1993)
Rally Report - Series 8 Special (28/11/1991)
Переглядів 3973 роки тому
Rally Report - Series 8 Special (28/11/1991)
Top Gear - The Stig Trailer
Переглядів 2,1 тис.3 роки тому
Top Gear - The Stig Trailer
Top Gear Episode Trailer: Series 17, Episode 4
Переглядів 2,1 тис.3 роки тому
Top Gear Episode Trailer: Series 17, Episode 4
Top Gear - Series 17 Alternate Trailer (2011)
Переглядів 1,1 тис.3 роки тому
Top Gear - Series 17 Alternate Trailer (2011)
Top Gear - Series 17 Trailer (2011)
Переглядів 2,5 тис.3 роки тому
Top Gear - Series 17 Trailer (2011)
BBC 2 Christmas 2010 Top Gear Promo Trailer
Переглядів 2,5 тис.3 роки тому
BBC 2 Christmas 2010 Top Gear Promo Trailer
Top Gear - Series 16 Trailer (2011)
Переглядів 1,7 тис.3 роки тому
Top Gear - Series 16 Trailer (2011)
Jeremy Clarkson's Motorworld S02E04: Australia (HQ)
Переглядів 697 тис.3 роки тому
Jeremy Clarkson's Motorworld S02E04: Australia (HQ)

КОМЕНТАРІ

  • @ValtariHulkkonen
    @ValtariHulkkonen 9 годин тому

    Could you do a similar video regarding clarkson or may

  • @bnw5435
    @bnw5435 10 годин тому

    I would LOVE to see a video like this, but for James May. Reallllly well made, you did a great job :)

  • @richardwathen7627
    @richardwathen7627 10 годин тому

    I met them all at Dunsfold. We were doing a balloon trip over Surrey but due to a sudden change in weather we had to land at Dunsfold stopping Top Gear filming. Great guys.

  • @Finch-82
    @Finch-82 23 години тому

    Big fan of the reboot original with Jeremy Richard an James and i always took what ever Jeremy said with a pinch of salt, cus he was just "that" guy, but Chris Evan, totally hated him since i was younger and honestly was not interested in seeing him of all people take over leading Top Gear. Not watched one of the newer series, i still go back and watch the older ones though, Chris Evans? Jog the f on!

  • @axis6333
    @axis6333 День тому

    More than 2 years later, and Ive just watched your content for about two hours. Cheers

  • @DystopianOverture
    @DystopianOverture День тому

    I was one of those teenage girls who fancied the crap out of him in the 2000s. 12 year old me cried the day he had the dragster accident, and went into a depressive state at the end of 2006, ended up being hospitalised for unrelated illness November that year as well. The day he returned on TV for TG my depressive episode left. It did later return bc bullied and abused Autistic kid in school being mocked for being in love with Hammo. I still would do him mind you 😅 I grew past the hormonal lust and loved the person he is more than his boyish charms. I have massive respect for him. Whenever I faced troubling times I always tried to be brave like him. Simply amazing documentary man! You went all out <3

  • @YahyeIbrahim
    @YahyeIbrahim День тому

    This was amazing

  • @DozIT
    @DozIT День тому

    "Combined age of over 150" is such a wild use of statistics lmao

  • @Bluesharp2
    @Bluesharp2 День тому

    Thank you so much

  • @jesush.tap-dancingchrist7328

    33:50 The use of Rae and Christian as a soundtrack deserves an ovation. Ive not heard that song in years.

  • @tandoodleys5252
    @tandoodleys5252 День тому

    This is probably the best video on this subject I've seen, so many factual points throughout. Respect to the creator for that. Top Gear was lightning in a bottle in the best sense. Never before or since have so many of the correct elements been brought together to create absolute magic. It was never always for car lovers, or entertainment junkies, or the casual bystanders. It was for everyone, because at one point or another, with every respect to its subject matter, everyone could find something in it that they could relate to. It was a triumph of emotion over subjectivity, which every great TV series requires. And for me at least, the sole reason for paying for a TV license. Recent series have never and could never match it. The BBC were supremely short sighted in believing that replacing Clarkson, Hammond and May would garner similar viewing figures. They had a chance to create something new and fresh. It would have been a gamble for sure, but I'd have respected them for trying. As it stands, copy and pasting the show without that key ingredient of the chemistry was a fools errand, and they've paid the price

  • @ethan8532
    @ethan8532 2 дні тому

    Does anyone know the what the Arabic music is called in the intro?

  • @FrancJ5793
    @FrancJ5793 2 дні тому

    James May is the greatest presenter ever!

  • @PorscheWilliamsformulaone2026

    22:35 this was also adapted in canada and in india only the canadian adaptation filming in buffalo usa and the indian adaptation filming in mumbai!!!

  • @pattyg1902
    @pattyg1902 2 дні тому

    What do you mean most men don't like Hammond I don't have a favorite on that show they are all the greatest of all time and I do absolutely love Richard Hammond as well as his daughter Izzy who is an absolute sweetheart

  • @jesush.tap-dancingchrist7328

    How could the punch up happen 6 hours after filmkng at Dunsfold when it happened after a day of filming in Yorkshire?!

  • @justotalkalottashit8392
    @justotalkalottashit8392 2 дні тому

    wtf australia has camels?

  • @joe_kerr69
    @joe_kerr69 3 дні тому

    Oh my. I think I just solved another mystery while watching this video. At 50:33 when you bring the upscaled image in closer, I'm fairly certain that its goatse. I wouldn't recommend looking that up after eating. But; I can rest assured it wasn't JUST tailpipe man that was shown in the studio.

  • @moinombre9799
    @moinombre9799 3 дні тому

    pal at a bull - aside from that - top hole old chap

  • @palonazo
    @palonazo 4 дні тому

    The BBC didn't undestand Top Gear and made the most nonsensical casting decisions. Top Gear needed likeable and relatable people, not "cool" car people. It needed people like Chris O'Dowd, Matt Berry, Karl Pilkington...

  • @user-kc3fn1gu6g
    @user-kc3fn1gu6g 4 дні тому

    Euro egg cap 😃

  • @callumfindlay696
    @callumfindlay696 4 дні тому

    Totally overlooked Nissan patrol!

  • @wesstarmedia
    @wesstarmedia 4 дні тому

    He's originally from my home town (Shirley, Solihull) but left the area when I was a kid. He returned to the area to shoot an episode of top gear because I noticed the petrol station he was filming at.

  • @jimmysp4des229
    @jimmysp4des229 4 дні тому

    Hammond has a great heart.

  • @lukealadeen7836
    @lukealadeen7836 4 дні тому

    Is your sis single?

  • @eventprogenitor1873
    @eventprogenitor1873 4 дні тому

    Longest was to say activists ran TV station gatekept the industry then got upset when they realized not everyone is a fellow activists.

  • @quakeknight9680
    @quakeknight9680 4 дні тому

    Top has fallen Billions must Gear

  • @tntfreddan3138
    @tntfreddan3138 4 дні тому

    Imagine not knowing anything about TopGear and hear "Tonight, the 36-year old is in hospital in Leeds after crashing in a jet-powered car*. It sounds so weird without context XD

  • @SherlocksLeftNipple
    @SherlocksLeftNipple 4 дні тому

    Most of this video is pretty rock solid and has some very fair criticisms of how Top Gear, as a program, has been left to stagnate due to the BBC's own incompetence and greed, but I do disagree on two points. Firstly, I don't think "BBC's values" had as much to do with Clarkson getting fired, as you might. I'm more inclined to apply Occam's Razor, and believe that a corporation this mired in its own mediocrity and oldfashioned hierachy couldn't stand to have people working for them, who had the social clout and fame to effectively tell leadership to shove it up where the sun don't shine - which I don't doubt Jeremy did, frequently and emphatically, behind closed doors,. He's an opinionated old Boomer with rockstar power, of course he's going to piss some high-falutin suit off, who doesn't understand how loyal people can be to their friends and parasocial buddies on TV. I do think him being inappropriate with female staff should be the big issue it was at the time - Clarkson's an asshole, we all know it, and it'd have been good for him to take the public flack for not acting right with other people - but I absolutely also believe the BBC used it as a smokescreen to fire him for a publically justifiable reason. Simplest solution, they didn't like that he had the power in their profesionally relationship, so they thought they could boot him and take his shit, when the opportunity presented itself. The values thing was just a bunch of corporatespeak they didn't actually give a fuck about, and never have. Secondly, I don't necessarily think the BBC has to be fudging their numbers, because there isn't an online fandom. Plenty of TV shows have millions of entirely casual viewers, who tune in, because it's something familiar, and they're not really fussed about the quality of what they're watching. Do I doubt WB-D or British media could be lying to make themselves look good? Nah, I think they're capable of that just fine. But again, Occam's Razor. It's much more likely modern Top Gear now sits at the same table as Big Mouth, Young Sheldon, every fucking American medical and CSI show under the sun, and The Simpsons - shows, which don't have much of a pressence in online spaces or that much of a dedicated fanbase to speak of, but would or will likely keep going, because millions of people tune in to watch something familiar and turn their brains off for an episode or two. It's not much of a spot to occupy, but it's a stable position, and I'd much sooner believe that casual audiences exist than some grand conspiracy by several massive media companies to pump up the ratings of a single half-alive IP, which lost its cultural relevance not that far from a decade ago. Again, absolutely solid video, and you're spot-on about why most of us just... don't care for Top Gear's post-Clarkson/Hammond/May eras. It's a soulless cashgrab imitation of something that used to be three friends fucking around with eachother or expensive/trash cars or both, just having a good time and talking about something they truly knew their shit on the subject of. It's just not the same without that earnest passion and friendly ribbing, and the BBC needs to figure out where this show should go from here, rather than try to artifically keep this ghost of a show alive with any random three hosts they think have moderate chemistry in front of the camera. But they won't, because that'd mean taking risks, when they might finally be seeing semi-comfortable numbers and don't have to directly compete with the boys anymore. Why change a formula they still profit off of, even if the soul of the show's long gone? The suits don't care, so long as it keeps casual audiences happy.

  • @Ameyekbote23
    @Ameyekbote23 5 днів тому

    Well Done!

  • @aac993
    @aac993 5 днів тому

    I despised Chris Evans the second he opened his shouty mouth on his first episode on TG.

  • @Cykelpump33
    @Cykelpump33 5 днів тому

    I admit Hamster is my least favorite in the trio, however they're all great so that don't matter. Hamster's own shows is were he truly shine.

  • @eduardbass839
    @eduardbass839 5 днів тому

    This guy should start a farm show.

  • @DaSlotho
    @DaSlotho 5 днів тому

    19:30 lolz saying "fact" on any online social network is just desperate

  • @gregsly308
    @gregsly308 5 днів тому

    go woke go broke !!! Long Live god king Emperor Jeremy Clarkson

  • @DittoGTI
    @DittoGTI 5 днів тому

    Chris Harris is friends with James May, and is also the only competent presenter of the current crop. Coincidence? I think i would like to see him on a new series, but with people that arent imbeciles as co presenters

  • @luna775
    @luna775 5 днів тому

    One of the things that I liked about top gear before, was that they were unapologetic and quintessential British.. they were genuinely funny and charismatic, and while they were not really edgy, it was not the sanitized, soulless, generic,, dribble they squirt out a the bbc's ass today.. it also reeks, little by little, of forcedly diverse for "modern audiences" No one cares about 3 douches playing with cars if you dont care about the douches or if the program reeks of corporate bs.. The amount of woke cuckery on the bbc and UK in general is astonishing

  • @camdenshelton3434
    @camdenshelton3434 6 днів тому

    Hammond is my favorite

  • @constantinvalidol5472
    @constantinvalidol5472 6 днів тому

    Regular men doing regular men stuff is too much for psychopathic epstein islander ceos. so fucking funny.

  • @nickmoranis2865
    @nickmoranis2865 6 днів тому

    Car Share was weak. Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle and Flowers (Julian Barratt) are fantastic.

  • @nickmoranis2865
    @nickmoranis2865 6 днів тому

    Stewart Lee & Julian Barratt are comedy geniuses and are still massively relevant putting out better content than they ever have. Do your research. And, there was definitely a slant on that bridge.

  • @ChumpChanging
    @ChumpChanging 6 днів тому

    Well, I’m sold on watching the first 22 series lol. It’s amazing when people that work on shows or projects like these that have nothing but passion and deeply rooted knowledge for the source material. It’s infectious as you can really see the amount of care that people like Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May etc, put into talking about and showing off their craft. I’ve never watched a full episode, however whenever it was on the hosts chemistry pulled me in, even if it was for a moment to watch and care for a subject that has never quite grabbed me in a way in which others have. To compare it to a topic I love, it is very similar in nature to Konami’s treatment of Team Silent and Silent Hill as a brand as a whole. You have this group of people who want nothing other than to put 110% into their work, only for the company to value money over talent which then leads to letting go of original staff, who are the driving force behind the popularity of the brand. Then continuing to beat a dead horse of a franchise for the next 20 years or at best, delivering a product that mimics its original creation, yet lacks that semblance of a soul it once had. Plus the bastardisation just shoots the company in the foot in the long run, so what even is the point TLDR: thank you UA-cam for recommending me this video, it was extremely well put together, and kept me engaged a full 2 hours 👍👍👍👍

  • @monaabbyhamedani917
    @monaabbyhamedani917 6 днів тому

    44:14 I put those exact "gopping Trafficstar wheels" on my E39 and I remember having to sell a lot more weed than I smoked to afford them 😂 2004 feels like a million years ago and also just like yesterday

  • @petterssonigolvet391
    @petterssonigolvet391 6 днів тому

    he sound younger...

  • @PurpleSeaUrchen
    @PurpleSeaUrchen 6 днів тому

    Bro, i wanna watch this, but a two hour hit piece on the new top gear is crazy. Someone get me an abridged 30 min version

  • @JJjjJJjjJJ28
    @JJjjJJjjJJ28 7 днів тому

    I thought Matt, Rory and Chris were a great team and I was starting to enjoy Top gear again with those 3. Sadly Matt left the show to move back to the US and the team split up. Haven't enjoyed an episode since.

  • @RuailleB
    @RuailleB 7 днів тому

    why aren’t more people viewing this, top class

  • @StoatLoxley
    @StoatLoxley 7 днів тому

    they put a woman in charge with an agenda. bingo got rid of that male white privlage nonsence,now wheres RuPauls phone number.

  • @peterfoxon5498
    @peterfoxon5498 7 днів тому

    Hammond's old charger is still around, its now orange and is currently on the road

  • @eda230bbs2
    @eda230bbs2 7 днів тому

    just read it bro the AI voice really sounds awful