And On That Bombshell
Inside the Madness and Genius of TOP GEAR
Richard Porter
- Pages
- 362 pages
- Published
- 2015
Content report card
What's inside
Violence
Fighting, weapons, death
Language
Swearing, crude humor
Sexual content
Romance intensity, nudity
LGBTQ+ themes
Presence of characters or themes
Scary or mature
Horror, trauma, heavy themes
Substance use
Alcohol, drugs, smoking
What it offers
Positive messages
Kindness, courage, honesty, resilience
Positive role models
Characters who model good judgment and growth
Educational value
History, science, culture, how the world works
A note for parents
This is a behind-the-scenes memoir of the TV show Top Gear, written for adult audiences interested in television production and automotive culture. While the book contains humor and anecdotes, it references mature situations including dangerous stunts, encounters with drug lords, and the informal language typical of the show's irreverent comedy style. It is not a children's book and lacks educational value or positive messaging that would appeal to younger readers.
Analyzed by AI · 1 hour ago
Parent age guide
Is “And On That Bombshell” right for your kid?
Ready from about age 14.
From about 13, okay with a grown-up nearby.
For younger readers
- Suggested for ages 14+.
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From the publisher
I was Top Gear's script editor for 13 years and all 22 series. I basically used to check spelling and think of stupid gags about The Stig. I also got to hang around with Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. It didn't feel like something you should get paid for. From the disastrous pilot show of 2002 to the s... I was Top Gear's script editor for 13 years and all 22 series. I basically used to check spelling and think of stupid gags about The Stig. I also got to hang around with Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. It didn't feel like something you should get paid for. From the disastrous pilot show of 2002 to the sudden and unexpected ending in 2015, working on Top Gear was quite a rollercoaster ride. We crossed continents, we made space ships, we bobbed across the world's busiest shipping lane in a pick-up truck. We also got chased by an angry mob, repeatedly sparked fury in newspapers, and almost killed one of our presenters. I realised that I had quite a few stories to tell from behind the scenes on the show. I remembered whose daft idea it was to get a dog. I recalled the willfully stupid way in which we decorated our horrible office. I had a sudden flashback to the time a Bolivian drug lord threatened to kill us. I decided I should write down some of these stories. So I have. I hope you like them. And now, a quote from James May: 'Richard Porter has asked me to "write a quote" for his new book about the ancient history of Top Gear. But this is a ridiculous request. How can one "write a quote"? Surely, by definition, a quote must be extracted from a greater body of writing, for the purpose of illustrating or supporting a point in an unrelated work. I cannot "write a quote" any more than I could "film an out-take". 'Porter, like Athens, has lost his marbles.'
Shelved under
- Humor
- Automobiles, history
- Automobiles, racing
- Sports cars
- Television programs
- Journalists
- Great britain, biography
ISBN 9781409164753 · Orion