Top Gear

Fan Gets Turned Away From Top Gear Recording

Being part of the audienc on Top Gear and now especially The Grand Tour is every fan’s dream., but for one Top Gear enthusiast the dream turned into a nightmare – well, at least in his opinion. As the news website getsurry.co.uk reports, Richard Viant travelled 80 miles to Dunsfold Park for a recording of a new Top Gear episode. Here’s what happened next, according to Viant:

  • After getting the Tickets for the show via Lost in TV, he arrived at Dunsfold Park at 1 pm
  • There was a massive queue of cars at the entrance
  • When he and his entourage got to the attendant checking the tickets, he told them the studio was already full
  • The attendant also explained that they would be getting priority tickets for another recording. He finally asked them to leave the site
  • Viant afterwards called the whole incident “unacceptable” since he drove 80 miles and took a day off
  • He also claims that the attendant turned away around 50 other people

BBC spokesperson justifies ticket over-allocation

Confronted with the incident, a BBC spokesperson told getsurry.co.uk that it was standard practice to over-allocate tickets. He also advised people to arrive early:

  • Because not every ticket holder actually shows up for the recording, the BBC distributes more tickets than they have seats. That way they can guarantee to get a big enough audience for each episode
  • They “consider very carefully” how many tickets they dispense. However, they “ask people to show up early to avoid disappointment”. The tickets also state that entry isn’t guaranteed
  • For everyone who arrives too late to get a seat they issue a new ticket that allows the guest guaranteed entry at another recording

What do you make of this? Do you think that Viants reaction is justified? Have you been turned away at a recording for a TV show yourself? Let us know down below in the comment section.

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6 Comments

  1. I fear this, because I would need to travel from 4,000 miles away. I got tickets last year, but could not attend as it was my son’s high school graduation night. 🙁 Will try again NOW, though…

  2. I had tickets to see Britains Got Talent via the company that used to do Top Gear’s. A few days before the recording, got an email saying they over placed them and got nothing, booked a day off for it also, so not great conduct at all!

  3. We were at the recording and only premium tickets are guaranteed entry and have to be there by 12.30. It clearly states on the normal tickets that it’s first come first served so he would’ve known about the risk of turning up late. His fault I say

  4. I was lucky enough to be part of the Top Gear audience at least 10 times. Never had a problem or saw people turned away.

  5. Have been on the TG waiting list for twenty years! Only just been offered tickets – not too difficult to work out why!!

  6. I was interested in the Nashville show (a 700 mile drive) and I checked online for how to see the show. The site was very specific noting that having a ticket did not guarantee entry, and telling ticket holders to arrive early to guarantee entry. If the same happened to me I’d be really disappointed, but I certainly wouldn’t blame the show that warned me I might not get in…

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