Quentin Willson
Encyclopedia
Quentin Willson is a British TV presenter and motoring expert, perhaps most widely known as a presenter of the motoring programmes Britain's Worst Driver
, Fifth Gear
, and the original incarnation of Top Gear. He lives in Warwickshire
with his wife and three children.
. He founded a car dealership selling Ferrari
s and Maserati
s. In the early 1990s, he was the deputy editor of the only magazine solely devoted to second hand motors, Buying Cars.
to co-host the original version of Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson
. For a decade between 1991 and 2001, he appeared every week on the programme, typically as an expert on used cars.
He also presented his own classic car series The Car's The Star
, along with the first property show to talk about money, All The Right Moves, both for the BBC.
. When Top Gear was relaunched, Willson said of Clarkson that "It's a compliment that the BBC
are so afraid of losing ratings to us they've lured my old co-host out of semi-retirement."
While at Five, Willson created the Britain's Worst Driver
format, which was nominated for best reality show in the Montreux Golden Rose Awards. A raft of similar shows followed, including Britain's Worst DIYer, Worst Mother in Law, Worst Husband, Worst Teenager, and Worst Builder.
Willson also participated in the 2004 season of Strictly Come Dancing
, but ignominiously got the lowest score ever on the show with his one and only dance before being voted off. Judge Craig Revel Horwood
described Willson as "Britain's Worst Dancer".
On the 12 January 2009, and again on the 4 December 2010, he appeared on BBC1's Breakfast programme giving advice on snow driving and which cars are better suited.
as an advocate of 'going green', BSI (British Safety Institute) and Castrol Oil. He is also a regular face on the conference and after dinner speaking circuit.
Quentin has been at the forefront of raising awareness about the dangers of buying stolen cars, fronting the 'Real or Rogue' campaign in March 2009.
Britain's Worst Driver
Britain's Worst Driver was a British television series created and hosted by ex-Top Gear host Quentin Willson made by Mentorn and shown on Five in the United Kingdom from 2002 to 2003. In 30-minute episodes, the worst drivers chosen by viewers "earned back" their driving licences by performing...
, Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear is a motoring television magazine show from the United Kingdom. Originally shown on Channel 5, the show is currently presented by Tiff Needell, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Jason Plato, Jonny Smith and Ben Collins...
, and the original incarnation of Top Gear. He lives in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
with his wife and three children.
Early years
Willson studied English Literature at the University of LeicesterUniversity of Leicester
The University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....
. He founded a car dealership selling Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
s and Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
s. In the early 1990s, he was the deputy editor of the only magazine solely devoted to second hand motors, Buying Cars.
Top Gear
He joined the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
to co-host the original version of Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...
. For a decade between 1991 and 2001, he appeared every week on the programme, typically as an expert on used cars.
He also presented his own classic car series The Car's The Star
The Car's The Star
The Car's the Star was a British classic car television series hosted by Quentin Wilson. In each episode, a biography of the car described by Wilson was interspersed by interviews with the cars' owners...
, along with the first property show to talk about money, All The Right Moves, both for the BBC.
Post Top Gear
After Top Gear's cancellation he left the BBC to present Channel Five's rival motoring programme, Fifth GearFifth Gear
Fifth Gear is a motoring television magazine show from the United Kingdom. Originally shown on Channel 5, the show is currently presented by Tiff Needell, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Jason Plato, Jonny Smith and Ben Collins...
. When Top Gear was relaunched, Willson said of Clarkson that "It's a compliment that the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
are so afraid of losing ratings to us they've lured my old co-host out of semi-retirement."
While at Five, Willson created the Britain's Worst Driver
Britain's Worst Driver
Britain's Worst Driver was a British television series created and hosted by ex-Top Gear host Quentin Willson made by Mentorn and shown on Five in the United Kingdom from 2002 to 2003. In 30-minute episodes, the worst drivers chosen by viewers "earned back" their driving licences by performing...
format, which was nominated for best reality show in the Montreux Golden Rose Awards. A raft of similar shows followed, including Britain's Worst DIYer, Worst Mother in Law, Worst Husband, Worst Teenager, and Worst Builder.
Willson also participated in the 2004 season of Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
, but ignominiously got the lowest score ever on the show with his one and only dance before being voted off. Judge Craig Revel Horwood
Craig Revel Horwood
Craig Revel Horwood is an Australian-British dancer, choreographer, and theatre director in the United Kingdom.-Biography:...
described Willson as "Britain's Worst Dancer".
On the 12 January 2009, and again on the 4 December 2010, he appeared on BBC1's Breakfast programme giving advice on snow driving and which cars are better suited.
Writing
In 2004 Willson was awarded Motoring Writer of the Year. He writes regularly for The Sunday Mirror and has also written ten books.- "Top Gear": Good Car Guide by Quentin Willson BBC BooksBBC BooksBBC Books is an imprint majority owned and managed by Random House. The minority shareholder is BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation...
1993 - "Top Gear": Good Car Guide by Quentin Willson BBC BooksBBC BooksBBC Books is an imprint majority owned and managed by Random House. The minority shareholder is BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation...
1994 - Classic Cars of the World by Quentin Willson and David Selby DK PublishingDorling KindersleyDorling Kindersley is an international publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 51 languages. It is currently part of the Penguin Group....
1995 - Ultimate Classic Car by Quentin Willson, DK PublishingDorling KindersleyDorling Kindersley is an international publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 51 languages. It is currently part of the Penguin Group....
1995. Republished with David Selby. - Classic American Cars by Quentin Willson, DK PublishingDorling KindersleyDorling Kindersley is an international publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 51 languages. It is currently part of the Penguin Group....
1997 - The Quentin Willson Guide to Used Cars: Everything You Need to Know by Quentin Willson Virgin BooksVirgin BooksVirgin Books is a United Kingdom book publisher 90% owned by the publishing group Random House, and 10% owned by Virgin Enterprises, the company originally set up by Richard Branson as a record company.-History:...
2001 - Quentin Willson's Cool Cars by Quentin Willson, DK PublishingDorling KindersleyDorling Kindersley is an international publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 51 languages. It is currently part of the Penguin Group....
. Second edition 2001 - Cars, A Celebration by Quentin Willson, DK PublishingDorling KindersleyDorling Kindersley is an international publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 51 languages. It is currently part of the Penguin Group....
2001 - Great Cars by Quentin Willson, DK PublishingDorling KindersleyDorling Kindersley is an international publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 51 languages. It is currently part of the Penguin Group....
2001 - Ultimate Sports Car by Quentin Willson, DK PublishingDorling KindersleyDorling Kindersley is an international publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 51 languages. It is currently part of the Penguin Group....
2002
Consultancy and speaking
Quentin Willson is a consultant to many organisations and companies including the car warranty company Warrantywise, where he designed the entire policy for the Padiham based car warranty company after complaining that existing car warranties weren't worth the paper they were printed on. Wilson also consults for BPBP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
as an advocate of 'going green', BSI (British Safety Institute) and Castrol Oil. He is also a regular face on the conference and after dinner speaking circuit.
Quentin has been at the forefront of raising awareness about the dangers of buying stolen cars, fronting the 'Real or Rogue' campaign in March 2009.
Videos/DVDs
| Year | Title | Format |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Top Gear - Classic Cars | VHS |
| 1999 | Project Healey 3000 | VHS |
| 2009 | Project Healey 3000 | DVD |
External links
- Quentin Willson's Official Website
- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0932753/Quentin Willson at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
] - Quentin Willson Interview
- http://www.topgear.com/Official Link Top Gear (magazine)Top Gear (magazine)Top Gear is an automobile magazine published by BBC Worldwide, and named after the BBC's Top Gear television show. It was first published in October 1993 and is published monthly at a price of £3.95. The major presenters of the television series—Richard Hammond, James May and Jeremy Clarkson—are...
website] - http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgearOfficial BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Top Gear website] - Sunday Mirror column
- http://www.warrantywise.co.uk Quentin Willson at Warrantywise]