Hi all.
   I watched the programme on BBC 2 last night. I really enjoyed it
and can't understand why this great man has not been knighted.
 He was one of my boyhood heroes along with Bob Mac and Derek
Minter. If you missed the programme catch it on iplayer.
   cheers Kenny.

It was a super programme, and really highlighted that Surtees is a true motor cycle fan.
I wish they wouldn't let non racers ride these bikes, but, that aside, I thought Paul Hollywood did a better job than Vic Reeves did for Barry Sheene.
There was some excellent coverage of his motorcycling achievements, (as long as you can live with a Manx Norton sounding like an MV and vice versa), and the programme was in danger of almost glossing over his car racing career. Towards the end Paul said to Surtees, "you are in your heart a true motorcycle enthusiast", or words to that effect, and Surtees agreed.
I felt so sad when he welled up while discussing the loss of his son.
Lovely programme.

Grrrrr was hopping to watch that this morning on BBC Iplayer but it says not available Grrr not a happy bunny


.

Great programme enjoyed it immensely . As said where`s his Knighthood??

I've always wondered why Surtees is so often overlooked in discussions on great motorcycle racers and, on here particularly, as part ot TT history.
Any discussions on great TT racers always brings up the usual suspects - I don't need to name them - and Surtees is very often missing. His career was fairly brief but nonetheless pretty extraordinary.
Frankly I can't think of any good reason why this should be?

For the time being you can find it here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJsNCv7Ef9U

What a great programme that was and what a lucky so and so Paul Hollywood is to get a run round on the works Mv Agusta .now where did i put that baking tray!!

(12-01-2015, 02:23 PM)Rennmax Wrote: For the time being you can find it here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJsNCv7Ef9U

Thanks for the link Rennmax that was a great watch loved seeing that , what a lovely man he is , brings back memories of my one meeting with the man back in 2007 at the Grandstand when I asked him for a autograph on my marshals boiler suite , he just struck me as such a nice genuine person , and me I was all tong tied and as excited as a kid at crimbo , I  me had got the autograph of one of my heroes a racing Legend on MY boiler suite , proper made up 

   
then was lucky enough to get a few more on my travels that year 




.

i had a lot of respect for john surtess and i have his dvd in the champion series
after last nights tv program i have even more respect for the guy
cant say anymore really
a great sportsman and a real gentleman

Yes I agree superb programme and he should be knighted for his achievements when a person on a pedal bike gets it for winning 1 race. I thought it was brilliant how he literally ran down the pits bump starting the bike superb, but when talking about his son he was close to tears very moving. What a garage the stuff he had in there are what dreams are made of very nice.

Thank you Rennmax, watched during diner, quite entertaining and very interesting. Nicely edited, interwoven parts of old shots with new as JM and Paul go for a ride. Up until now I did not know who John Surtees was... quite a legend! I did know about MV Agusta as a little girl though, we had lemonade glasses with these bikes on. No idea either, my baking hero to be a bike lover and baking hero he is, every bread recipe of his that I have tried gets out of my oven perfectly.

To Ed: tip of the week, for fading black felt pen, get the missus to embroider them over before they disappear :-)

I am so sure it wouldn't have been very difficult to find vastly superior presenters than the unfunny Vic Reeves and doughboy Paul Hollywood. Such great legends deserved more.

Well Rednine, that's the bbc to you, once within their team, one can present practually anything... I sometimes have wondered, get some "new blood" ... but I think PH did a good job.

Nevertheless, there are able and eloquent presenters amongst the current racing and recently retired racing fraternity. One does not have to look much further than the Whitams, McCullens and Mackenzies of this world. They are very media savvy but that is just a mere tip of a very able number of better alternatives.

I thought the chap did a fine job,made a nice change from the usual know it all ex racers,although i like them doing what they do.But this chap came over as one of us,an enthusiast in awe of Mr Surtees. Thoroughly  enjoyed the show.

(14-01-2015, 05:12 PM)ian charlton Wrote: I thought the chap did a fine job,made a nice change from the usual know it all ex racers,although i like them doing what they do.But this chap came over as one of us,an enthusiast in awe of Mr Surtees. Thoroughly  enjoyed the show.

I think they made a very clever choice. If the programes had been presented by ex-racers known only to us how many none biking people would have watched it. I imagine they pulled in quite a few fans of Jim & Paul who wouldn't have been interested normally, well at least lets hope so. Both did good job and yes I am jealous of both of them. At least they were both bike lovers with some knowledge and feeling for the sport.

owl man,i fully agree,it was so refreshing to have someone from outside of the sport to front the programme.

totaly agree with the posotive votes
pasion was there
far better than some busty dolly bird whos not interested in motorsport in any form

Same here. That's what these programmes were about - a fan following in the footsteps of their hero and driving a car/ riding a bike related to them. The last series had Chris Hoy on Colin McCrea, Patrick Stewart on Stirling Moss and James Martin on Jackie Stewart.

Who do you want to see cover whom in series 3? How about Joey covered by Liam Neeson - I loved his narration on Road.

I thought he did a good job and I thoroughly enjoyed the programme.

PS . It appears the petition that was on line to try and get JS a knighthood has been ignored again.