New Zealand’s world famous canine driving prowess has caught the eye of Stig’s mates from Top Gear, and some publications say the hit show is coming to our shores to film them in action.
Top Gear presenter James May let slip that the motoring show was heading to the country, during an interview with the AAP in Australia.
May and fellow hosts Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond, are traveling to Sydney for the Top Gear Festival in March. He says they’ll be making a stop over in New Zealand to do some filming at the same time.
“I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but we are going to film a little bit but it’s going to be in New Zealand,” says May.
“It’s a fairly obvious one to do for a big road trip.”
May doesn’t specifically mention the driving dogs, and his comment could be interpreted as saying “We came all this way, we may as well go to New Zealand too”.
According to Stuff, SPCA boss Christine Kalin had earlier confirmed the animal welfare group received an email from Top Gear producers, following the video of the three dogs driving going viral in December last year. Kalin says she’s unable to comment further.
DraftFCB, which created the campaign for the SPCA and Mini, chalks the news up as rumours.
“Right now it’s pure speculation from an off the cuff comment made by James May,” says Angela Spain, a spokesperson for DraftFCB.
Spain confirms that there was correspondence between Top Gear and the agency last year, but says nothing was confirmed.
“They did initially express an interest in the whole campaign. It would be great for the SPCA if they did come because it would put a global spotlight on the cause and the dogs,” says Spain.
With all this press coverage on just a rumour, you’d think if the Top Gear producers weren’t planning on filming the dogs before, they surely will be thinking about it now.