Top Gear bosses hire The One Show’s celebrity booker who managed to land interviews with Jennifer Aniston, Bruce Willis and Russell Crowe in bid to scupper Jeremy Clarkson’s show
IT shouldn’t be too hard for Top Gear to improve on last year’s flop series.
And to keep up with Amazon rival The Grand Tour, it seems bosses of the BBC show are pinning their hopes on attracting A-list guests.
I can reveal they have pinched The One Show’s guest-booker Tom Fenner, who has brought the likes of BRUCE WILLIS, JENNIFER ANISTON and RUSSELL CROWE to the BBC1 evening show’s couch over the past nine years.
A source said: “Tom’s recruitment is all part of a massive Beeb plan to counter The Grand Tour.
“He has the best contacts book at the BBC and, even before The One Show, was famous for his star-pull while at Radio 2, where he secured guests for STEVE WRIGHT.
“If he keeps up his record, The Grand Tour could be in big trouble.”
The Sun revealed how BBC bosses had banned ex-Top Gear stars JEREMY CLARKSON, RICHARD HAMMOND and JAMES MAY from grilling celeb guests on The Grand Tour according to strict legal terms covering their exit from the Beeb.
They are also barred from having celebs race on a track to get times on a leaderboard, as it would be too similar to their old show’s Star In A Reasonably Priced Car slot.
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The trio have mocked the “unreasonable” regulations — and in a cheeky dig, instead of stars being quizzed on The Grand Tour, they are “killed off” before Jezza and Co can talk to them.
In last month’s opener, US actors JEREMY RENNER and ARMIE HAMMER, plus I’m A Celeb’s CAROL VORDERMAN, appeared to meet grisly ends such as jumping from a plane and the parachute not opening or being bitten by a snake.
In episode two, actress CHARLIZE THERON was supposedly mauled by a lion. Now Top Gear is fighting back by hiring Fenner.
Meanwhile, sources at the BBC say axed host CHRIS EVANS’ meddling over guest lists meant many stars couldn’t be booked in time.
Chris won’t be high on Tom’s target list.
The Grand Beach Tour
THE Grand Tour’s New Year special The Beach (Buggy) Boys sees Jeremy, Richard and James ditch fast cars for custom buggies in the Namibian desert.
The trio are seen here in a trailer ahead of the two-parter airing on Friday and Saturday. Will they make it to the finish?
Rio hero Kad is heading for The Jump
YOU must be brave to go on The Jump – so you can see why signing up to Britain’s most dangerous TV show would appeal to Paralympic star KADEENA COX.
I can reveal the Rio hero, who has multiple sclerosis, will be joining this year’s batch of celebs out on the Austrian slopes.
She made history in September as the first Brit Paralympian in 32 years to win gold medals in two separate sports.
Kadeena, right, said: “The Jump is a great opportunity to learn something new.”
She will compete against stars including LOUIS SMITH, CAPRICE, ROBBIE FOWLER and SPENCER MATTHEWS when the C4 show kicks off in the New Year.
Last series, SEVEN celebs had to pull out due to injury.
Kadeena was diagnosed with MS two years ago. She now boasts a gold in track cycling to add to her gold, silver and bronze in athletics – an achievement many coaches had said was near-impossible.
That should have her rivals quaking more than the sub-zero temperatures.
Dan for slender Enders
THE EastEnders cast might have found a new way to work off all the turkey and chocs.
JACQUELINE JOSSA, who plays Lauren Branning, is helping her celebrity trainer fiancé DAN OSBORNE line up the Albert Square cast as potential clients. Former Towie star Da has already signed up AARON SIDWELL, who plays Steven Beale. The pair have been training at a local gym close to where the show is recorded. A source said: “Dan is keen to get some new clients on his books and he’s made his services clear to the cast. “He has found a gym local to the studios in Elstree and so far has signed up Aaron – and a few more are interested. “The cast have no doubt indulged over the Christmas break and will want to be looking their best come the New Year.” With his career as a reality star on hold, Dan has focused on launching his new fitness business. It features workouts and tips from model and former Towie stalwart SAM FAIERS and personal trainer Luke Hayter. Earlier this year, Jacqueline was singing her fella’s praises, saying: “Daniel is really underestimated. He’s really, really talented. He’s good at drawing, he can sing and he can act as well.” I doubt we’ll be seeing him on Albert Square soon.
Not so Wright stuff
DESPITE MARK WRIGHT’s Strictly stint, he can’t dance . . . says sister JESSICA.
She stars in new ITV series Dance Dance Dance, in which celebs pick family or friends to perform with. But she snubbed her ex-Towie star brother.
Jess said: “Oh my god, no, never. Mark did well on Strictly but he’s no good at this kind of dance. Anyway, we would row terribly. We’d absolutely kill each other.”
Jess – taking part with Corrie’s LUCY-JO HUDSON, JLS singer J.B. GILL, Emmerdale star FIONA WADE and ex-EastEnder JONNY LABEY – will perform her raunchy solo act to CHRISTINA AGUILERA’s Dirrty when the series kicks off on January 8.
She said: “I’m doing the full-on chaps and bra. I really hope my dad doesn’t watch me perform that live.”
Sounds like Mark had a lucky escape.
Soapbox
HOLLYOAKS takes a dark turn as Sienna persuades Warren to go with her to bury Nico’s ashes instead of going to the match with Joel.
At the memorial garden, she screams when she sees a wooden cross with the words “Sienna Blake RIP January 3, 2017” painted on it.
Warren vows to kill whoever is doing this to her . . . but does Sienna know more than she is letting on?
Meanwhile on EASTENDERS, Roxy assures Ronnie she is planning a quiet hen party. But when Shirley and Tina arrive ready for a proper knees-up, Ronnie has a change of heart and lets her hair down like the old days.
And Max is trying to build bridges with his family, although everything may not be quite as it seems . . .