Fuelling Around – Stars Talking Cars!

On this week's intergalactic edition of the podcast, Jason and Dave welcome into their orbit, a real life spaceman in the form of Major Tim Peake! As well as being a fully fledged astronaut, Major Tim is also a massive fan of ground level speed on either 2 or 4 wheels, as he happily explains to the boys!

Jason and Dave are back with a brand new series, and first through the door is the world's most glamorous petrolhead, Jodie Kidd! Jodie talks about her love affair with the motorcar, and highlights her car history which encompasses everything from Ferraris to Rovers!

It's the final episode in the series, and Jason and Dave are going out in style, as they welcome the host of the Radio One breakfast show Greg James, into their virtual studio. Not only is Greg an award winning radio and television host, but he's also an unashamed petrolhead, who's loved cars for as long as he can remember. From humble beginnings, driving his mum's Renault Clio when he first passed his test, Greg has graduated up to some tasty machines over the years, and his current pride and joy is an E34 BMW M5 from 1994, which he describes as the most incredible thing he's ever driven! With laughs a plenty and some brilliant car stories, this is a cracking episode to go out on!

Jason and Dave's special guest this week is consumer champion Dominic Littlewood, who as well as being no stranger to challenging rogue builders and con artists, is also a massive petrolhead, with a real taste for American metal!

He's one of the biggest names in motortainment, and this week Jason and Dave open their virtual gull wing doors, to the one and only James May! He may have been nicknamed 'Captain Slow', but he's certainly lived life in the fast lane on 'Top Gear' and 'The Grand Tour', and as you might imagine, he's more than happy to talk about all that himself, Clarkson and Hammond got up to over the years!

This week, Jason and Dave's special guest is star of the hit TV show 'Car S.O.S', Fuzz Townshend. Having had a career as a bus mechanic, a pop star drummer and now a TV presenter who makes people's car dreams come true, Fuzz has certainly got a story or two to tell!

There's not many men that put Jason and Dave in the shade looks wise, but David Gandy manages to do just that! The world's most famous male supermodel is the boys' special guest this week, and as well as being devilishly dashing and a photographer's dream, David is also a dyed in the wool petrolhead, who likes nothing more than talking about cars!

On this week's episode, the boys are joined by Jason's former TV wife Penny Mallory, whose story is an extraordinary one. From troubled beginnings as a homeless runaway, Penny managed to fulfil her dreams of becoming a top rally driver, before going on to become a TV presenter, a keynote speaker, a motivational coach and now author. There is much to admire about Penny Mallory, although Jason isn't sure about her driving a Tesla!

This week, Jason and Dave welcome onboard a man who is absolute rock 'n' roll royalty! As the lead singer of AC/DC, Brian Johnson is a musical legend, but he's also a dyed in the wool petrolhead who has lived and breathed cars all his life! Talking to the boys from his home in Florida, Brian describes how the love affair with cars first started, and talks about some of the precious metal he's acquired over the years! 

The boys are back with a brand new series, and Jason and Dave's first guest is the brilliant Marcus Wareing, who joins them for a chat about his early car history, and explains how becoming a head chef, opened the door to some seriously tasty motors!

It's the final episode in the current series, so only right that Jason and Dave go out with a bang! Their very special guest this week, live from his home in Australia is comedian and actor Ross Noble, who talks bikes, utes, roos and tanks, in a frank and no holds barred chat about pretty much everything! 

This week's guest with Jason and Dave is the man who wrote Top Gear and The Grand tour for Clarkson, Hammond and May! Richard Porter was tasked with steering the two biggest car shows of all time, and as you might imagine, has a tale or two to tell, in what is a truly fascinating episode!

This week Jason and Dave welcome into their virtual studio, the man behind the mask. A gentleman who spent much of his career disguised by a certain white helmet and race suit, before going on to write a best selling book and execute some of the greatest car stunts in modern movie history. Some say he could be one of the greatest guests ever to have appeared on Fuelling Around, all we know is....he's called Ben Collins!

This week, Jason and Dave welcome young British racing sensation Jamie Chadwick into their virtual studio for a brew and a blather. Jamie talks to the boys about the W Series, meeting Caitlyn Jenner in Malibu, and of her dream to one day make it all the way to the top, as a British F1 driver!

Jason and Dave's special guest this week is a man who used to be one fifth of Take That, before becoming a quarter and now a third! Aside from being one of the biggest popstars the UK has produced in the last 30 years, Howard Donald is also a dyed in the wool petrolhead! While working as a vehicle painter in his native Manchester in his younger days, Howard could never have imagined that one day he'd be in a situation where he'd acquired so much automotive exotica that he'd run out of space in his garage, but that's exactly what's happened, and he talks the boys through some of his highlights, and a few targets he's still got his eye on, if he can just find a few more square inches from somewhere! 

This week, Jason and Dave welcome a special guest who has got one of the best jobs in world motorsport! Lee McKenzie spends much of her time on the F1 circuit, and over the years has gained the trust of some of the biggest names in the business. So much so, that she has a new book out which lifts the lid on the personality and character traits of the sport's greatest drivers, and is a fascinating insight for anybody that loves car racing as much we do!

Jason and Dave are joined by motor racing royalty in the shape of Damon Hill! Damon discussed what it was like growing up in a motor racing family, pitting his wits against some of the greatest drivers in formula one history, and how amongst his sizeable collection of trophies, he's also quite proud to have contributed a guitar solo to a track by Def Leppard!

Jason and Dave are back with a brand new series, and their first guest is the one and only Richard Hammond! Amongst the car history, the stories of Top Gear and of course his near fatal crash on an airfield in York, it transpires that Richard and Jason were up for the same job on more than one occasion, that for a while at least, made things ever so slightly awkward!

Back in September, as this year's BTCC was drawing to a close, we decided to take our mobile podcast rig on the road and set ourselves up outside the Pit Stop Cafe at Silverstone on the Saturday after practice. We invited some all-star touring car guests in the form of Dan Rowbottom, Louise Goodman and Paul O'Neill, we had a live audience perched on picnic tables in the garden area in front of us, and a licensed bar to make sure that everyone was kept fully hydrated throughout the performance. Out of the hour or so that we recorded, more than half of it had to be chopped out as it wouldn't have been broadcastable in any territory, but this is what we were left with! Enjoy!

What a way to wrap the series, as Jason and Dave welcome one of world's all time greatest DJs into their virtual studio. Not only is Carl Cox a legend of British dance music, he's also an absolute petrolhead with a collection of cars and bikes at his various homes around the world, one of which is on the Isle of Man. It's TT week on the island, and Carl Cox's racing team are doing fantastically well with star rider Michael Dunlop leading the charge at the time of recording. With Jason having just flown back from his first experience of the greatest motorcycle race event in the world, he's quite simply lost for words!

He's in the middle of a stand up comedy tour across the UK and Ireland, whilst also trying to juggle the parenting responsibility of being dad to two young boys, but Patrick Kielty can always find time for a good yarn! Some hilarious motoring exploits from his youth, plus a real insight into the psychology of a stand up performer. This is an episode not to be missed!

He become a TV legend 20 years ago on Top Gear, and this week Jason and Dave sit down with the original Stig, Perry McCarthy. Born in Stepney in East London, Perry's incredible determination and self belief saw him create and fund his own motor racing career, that saw him reach the pinnacle in Formula One, and go on to become one of the most respected characters in British motorsport.

He makes up exactly 50% of TV duo The Hairy Bikers, and along with partner in crime Dave Myers, is one of the nicest men in show business. Sadly Mr Myers couldn't join the chat as he's currently undergoing hospital treatment, so Jason and Dave enjoyed a very pleasant hairy chinwag with Mr King, talking biking and baking and everything in between! 

Stand up comedian, presenter, writer and journalist, Alex Riley is a man of many talents, and it's his many talents that have resulted in a career path that has been colourful and at times unorthodox. At the heart of it all, Alex is obsessed with cars and has been since he was a little boy, and is now fulfilling the dream of presenting a programme on telly all about cars and their history! 'The Car Years' on ITV would appear to be tailor made for Alex Riley, but his motoring passions will surprise some of you, and he's certainly the most committed automotive Francophile Jason and Dave have met to date. 

GBBO star Paul Hollywood has a passion for baking, but away from the kitchen, cars and bikes are what get his pulse racing. Having competed on track in Aston Martins and being the proud owner of a collection of truly delicious wheels, Paul chats to Jason and Dave about his automotive journey over the years, from humble beginnings to dream drives along the beautiful Amalfi coast.

He’s one of the UK’s finest and most famous impressionists, having appeared on the Queen’s Royal Variety performance amongst countless TV and radio shows over his illustrious career, but away from the limelight, Jon has a deep rooted passion for old Fords! Fuelled by a love of classic cop shows like The Sweeney and The Professionals, Jon has a soft spot for old Granadas, Cortinas and Capris, and has even built up a small but very prized collection, which he shares with Jason and Dave.

The boys are back with a brand new series and who better to kick off with than a man who’s apparently Dave’s guilty pleasure! Mike Brewer has been trading cars on our screens for the last 25 years, and as a big mate of Jason’s and possibly the ultimate petrolhead, he could just be the perfect guest! 

If you really like cars, this is the podcast for you. Jason Plato and Dave Vitty are back for a new season, with new guests and even more car chat. Fuelling Around is coming soon, powered by Adrian Flux. 

The final episode of the current series, sees Jason and Dave welcome into their virtual passenger seat their old friend and TV presenter, Jake Humphrey. As well as being BT Sport’s lead football presenter, Jake also co-presents the hugely successful High Performance podcast, which sees him and Professor Damian Hughes interview a selection of truly inspirational people from the world of sport, music, acting, business and much more, who share the secrets of their success. Having failed his A Levels, Jake explains the sliding doors moments that led to his big break in television, and how his resilience throughout has enabled him to enjoy a 20 year plus career in the media, that’s also afforded him the opportunity to own a few tasty motors along the way!

Having raced in Formula One and Formula E, Sky Sports’ Karun Chandhok is as qualified as anyone to give us their expert analysis of a season finale like no other in Abu Dhabi. This story is one that will be debated for many years to come, but Jason and Dave pulled off quite the coup, having Karun sit down with them merely hours after leaving the paddock at the Yas Marina circuit the night before, to discuss all of the fallout from the weekend, before the desert dust had even settled!

At 10 years old, John McGuinness visited the Isle of Man for the first time to watch his dad race in the TT, and so began a 40 year love affair with the island he now regards as his second home. 23 senior race wins and 47 podiums is an extraordinary list of achievements, making John McGuinness the second most successful TT rider of all time, behind only the late, great Joey Dunlop. Will John keep going into his 50s to score another 3 titles and equal Dunlop’s record? Only time will tell!

There’s not many people who can say that the car that brought them home from hospital as a newborn baby, is the car they subsequently learnt to drive in! Then again, there’s also not many people who need a spreadsheet to calculate how many cars they’ve owned and have restoration projects that have spanned 18 years! Welcome to the unique world of presenter, journalist and automotive expert Jonny Smith. It’s shame that Jason and Dave needed to wrap up this episode when Jonny needed to take his kids swimming, as I suspect the three of them could have happily chatted for days!

Jonny’s channels for his own content are as follows:

Sharleen Spiteri fronts the Glaswegian rock band Texas, who’ve been making albums and playing to sell out crowds around the world for more than 30 years! Her husband Bryn Williams is one of the UK’s most exciting home grown chefs, appearing regularly on BBCs Saturday Kitchen and The Great British Menu. Sharleen describes their respective crafts as being very similar, and one of the many things they share in common is a lifelong love of cars! Sharleen from her childhood in Glasgow and Loch Lomand, and Bryn from his rallying roots in his native North Wales. 

Luther Blissett is an English footballing legend, and one of the greatest players this country has ever produced, but the beautiful game isn’t his only true love. Luther’s other lifelong passion is cars. From his early days growing up in Willesden, Northwest London when he and his brother used to buy cars on the cheap, take them apart and rebuild them, Luther is an unapologetic petrolhead, especially when the mention of an electric future is raised! He’s owned an eclectic collection of classics over the years, and talking of classics, Luther finally tells the story of the day he had that now infamous accident in a Morgan at the Silverstone Classic!

Normally on this podcast, we ask people to tell us what their 2 car fantasy garage would be, just so we can all lust over the fantastical suggestions of poster worthy automotive exotica that we’ll realistically never own. In the case of Iwan Thomas however, there’s not much that he hasn’t had at some point, and we’re talking about some proper silly motors! For anyone unsure of Iwan’s thoroughbred petrolhead credentials, have a listen to this!

He’s one of the biggest stars of British television as the host of The Chase, Blankety Blank, The Larkins, Breaking Dad and many more, but Bradley Walsh also happens to be something of a secret petrolhead! Well, actually it’s not that much of a secret, as Brad has used some of his rarely spare time over lockdown, to embark on a truly epic automotive project! This is like a boyhood car poster dream that he’s somehow done for real, and it’s little short of amazing! Jason and Dave are dying to find out all the details, and as you would imagine from a guest of the calibre of Bradley Walsh, he tells the story beautifully!

Over the summer, Jason Plato and Dave Vitty decided they fancied doing a live version of their award winning podcast ‘Fuelling Around’, and set about finding a suitable venue. Wembley Arena was booked and the O2 was too expensive, but the lovely people at Motorsport UK, very kindly offered them the use of their headquarters in Bicester and suddenly it was game on! The Adrian Flux live events team were mobilised, the tickets sold out within hours, the boys quickly organised draught beer and a barbecue, and all they needed now were some special guests! Well, with it being only a couple of days before the BTCC weekend at Silverstone, it made sense to make it a touring car legends special, and they don’t come much bigger than Tim Harvey and Matt Neal! As long as Dave could make sure that Matt didn’t try and punch Jason again, it promised to be a decent night! This is what happened…

To bring the curtain down on the current series, Jason and Dave have saved something a little bit special until the very end! An absolute legend in British motorsport and one of the fastest men of all time on two wheels, the boys’ special guest is the one and only Carl Fogarty! From having a week off school to go the TT Races on the Isle of Man to watch his dad race as a kid, to being crowned King of The Jungle with Ant and Dec in 2014 and everything in between! It’s an absolute pleasure to have a brew and a blather with Carl Fogarty, who even after all these years, still describes himself as ‘just an ordinary lad from Blackburn!’ Fuelling Around is powered by Adrian Flux. This episode was recorded remotely.

He’s one of the all time sporting greats. A master at what he does, and in the world of snooker, he’s a world class legend! Fame and fortune came early for Ronnie, and fast cars were a predictable accessory in his early twenties. Now in his mid-forties, Ronnie is still an out and out petrolhead and absolutely loves his cars, but some notable mistakes behind the wheel in the past, have made Ronnie a much safe driver these days and a reformed man when it comes to that heavy right foot. Fuelling Around is powered by Adrian Flux. This podcast was recorded remotely.

It’s a question we ask most of our guests. What’s your money no object, two car fantasy garage? Having picked something rather exotic and containing only 2 seats, Nicki sounded shocked that she might also have to consider including something large enough to accommodate her family! Elsewhere we discuss with Nicki the only car that enables you to be both an environmentalist and a mentalist, and how on earth she managed to transition from a background with BBC wildlife in Bristol to a career in professional motorsport! Fuelling Around is powered by Adrian Flux. This episode was recorded remotely.

To describe Chris Harris as a car expert and a passionate petrolhead would be an understatement, as the esteemed motoring journalist, racing driver and TV presenter is now living the dream hosting Top Gear alongside Paddy McGuinness and Freddie Flintoff. When he’s not travelling the world filming the world’s finest motoring show, Chris likes to collect early 90's performance cars and fill his garages with the stuff he could only drool over in his teens! Fuelling Around is powered by Adrian Flux. This episode was recorded remotely.

At 22 he was a fairly late starter to the car club, but he’s certainly made up for it since then! The journey may have started with an Italian set of wheels, but it wasn’t an exotic beginning and there were certainly no prancing horses involved. However, as the bug took hold and budgets allowed, things got significantly more interesting on the drive of Mr Melvin Odoom, who is by his own admission, a rather under the radar petrolhead with a pretty serious addiction!

‘Fit as a butcher’s dog’ is how VBH describes herself after enduring a tough twelve months of home schooling, but with new found freedoms just around the corner, things are looking up for a lady with thoroughbred racing pedigree! She’s started her own YouTube channel so that manufacturers of automotive exotica can loan her their wares for real life road testing, and even turned her hand to banana bread to alleviate the boredom of lockdown. Having first met Jason Plato when they both worked at Silverstone as racing instructors, there’s not much that Vicki can get away with, including an unfortunate incident involving a Range Rover and some deep water at Millbrook! Fuelling Around is powered by Adrian Flux. This episode was recorded remotely.

It’s been a bumpy old year for the hospitality business says Tom Kerridge, who’s hugely successful restaurant business has suffered catastrophic losses as a result of the pandemic. However, with things slowly opening and normality inching its way back, there’s reasons to be cheerful and reasons to be positive at what the rest of the year holds. Away from the kitchen and the business side of things, Tom is a self-confessed petrolhead, who went through a clear and defined hot hatch phase during the 90s, before maturing slightly and settling on his current 3 car garage that makes him very happy indeed. Fuelling Around is powered by Adrian Flux. This episode was recorded remotely.

He’s been on our TV screens and airwaves for 2 decades now, and having entertained the nation in the ‘I’m a Celebrity’ castle earlier on this year, Vernon is back on prime time Saturday night telly, hosting ITVs brilliant new show ‘Game of Talents’.

Away from the sharp suits though, Vernon is one of the most down to earth people you could ever wish to meet, and is an out and out car fanatic! He inherited his love of cars from his lorry driving dad Norman, and it’s taken him on to owning a brutal Noble M400 and now a Nissan GTR that  he’s got tuned to a manageable 958 BHP!

Vernon takes Jason and Dave on a little stroll down motoring memory lane, starting with an unfortunate incident on the day he passed his test! Fuelling Around is powered by Adrian Flux. This episode was recorded remotely.

 ‘Fuelling Around – Stars Talking Cars’ is back for Round Two with professional racing driver Jason Plato, and lover of all things automotive, Dave Vitty, back in their comfy seats with some serious time to kill!

 

They will be sitting down for a very casual chat with some more well-known petrolhead pals, so look out for the likes of Vernon Kay, Melvin Odoom, Vicky Butler Henderson, Nicki Shields and Tom Kerridge to name but a few, joining the boys to talk about their habitual love of cars in a type of group therapy session. They say a problem shared is a problem solved, and that’s exactly what Jason and Dave intend to do! 

Look out for brand new episodes coming soon. 

Sir Chris Hoy is one of the world’s greatest ever Olympians with a record haul of 6 gold medals, but how many people know about his car racing career? Since retiring from cycling after the London Olympics in 2012, Chris has had the opportunity to live out his boyhood motor racing dream, that’s seen him drive for the likes of Radical, Ginetta and Nissan, with the latter training him to compete in the legendary Le Mans 24 hour race. In addition, Chris tells Jason and Dave about his car history and the BMW 318i that was his passport to freedom, the BMW M3 which was very nearly his passport to a muddy ditch off a wet road, and his mutual love and respect for the very different qualities of the beautiful Jaguar XKR and the awesome Nissan GTR. Fuelling Around is powered by Adrian Flux. This episode was recorded remotely.

Singer, songwriter and self-confessed car nut Amy Macdonald chats with Jason Plato and Dave Vitty about her impressive car history, which is the stuff of dreams for most people! She had an Audi R8 by the age of 20, and at the height of her car habit, was the proud owner of a Range Rover, a Bentley Continental and not one, but two Ferraris! She says that at first it used to turn heads when people saw this wee girl driving a Ferrari around the streets of Glasgow, but these days nobody batters an eye, as they know it will most likely be Amy Macdonald!

TV chef James Martin joins Jason Plato and Dave Vitty to discuss his weird and wonderful collection of cars, how he started cooking on television and the story behind how he met BTCC legend Plato, plus he tells us about getting driving tuition from F1 icon, Sir Jackie Stewart and how he used to drive tractors growing up on a farm. And if that’s not enough, James also reveals how he spent £175,000 on a 50-year-old Mercedes Benz and the time when he owned the second Lotus Elise ever made. Fuelling Around is powered by Adrian Flux. This episode was recorded remotely.

Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson joins Jason Plato and Dave Vitty, to talk about his classic Mini, which is stuck in a garage in Cornwall with electrical problems, his ludicrous and lairy Honda Civic Type R, which was the best freebie ever for a Yorkshireman who doesn’t part easily with money, and his Range Rover that became a bit of a rock n roll statement. In between, there’s everything from Jaguar D Types, to Wedgwood crockery and private number plates, to French service stations! Fuelling Around is powered by Adrian Flux. This episode was recorded remotely.

Faithless frontman and all round car nut Maxi Jazz joins Jason Plato and Dave Vitty, to talk about his long standing love affair with his impressive collection of cars, including a bright orange Mark 2 Ford Escort, his eye-opening trip to the legendary Bathurst circuit, and how motor racing gives him more nerves than performing on stage in front of 50,000 people! Fuelling Around is powered by Adrian Flux. This episode was recorded remotely. 

BBC and BT Sport broadcaster and journalist Suzi Perry joins Jason Plato and Dave Vitty to discuss her 20 years in motorsport, interviewing Valentino Rossi, working with F1 legend Murray Walker, her unique story about passing her driving test, why the Honda S2000 is an underrated car and her quandary on whether she prefers cars or motorbikes. Hear more of Suzi’s car stories on the BT Sport MotoGP podcast, BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live, Gas It Out and Tatum & Pearson. This podcast was recorded remotely. 

Current Strictly Come Dancing champion and former Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher joins Jason Plato and Dave Vitty, to chat all things motor related, including owning a Ferrari by the age of 25, his burgeoning motorsport career and how his dad's job as a mechanic ignited his passion for cars. Fuelling Around is powered by Adrian Flux.

As we get ready to start the 2020 Formula One season, Channel 4’s F1 host Steve Jones joins Jason Plato and Dave Vitty to discuss how they’ll cover the races during the pandemic, his father’s passion for rallying in the Welsh Valleys, and the remarkable similarities between his love for his car and his love for his wife. Fuelling Around is powered by Adrian Flux.