Jonathan LaPaglia Teases ‘Bloody Big’ Show

PEDESTRIAN.TV has teamed up with Paramount+ to take you on a thrill ride with the brand-new Top Gear Australia.

Top Gear Australia is almost here, and it looks epic, hilarious and chaotic all at once. You’ll probably be familiar with the new hosts, with The Amazing Race’s Beau Ryan, Australian Survivor’s Jonathan LaPaglia and YouTube star Blair ‘Moog’ Joscelyne ready to race.

The trio were whisked away on an adventure around the world, driving $11 million race cars, zooming around volcanoes, and stripping off for the camera.

Blair, known best for his YouTube channel Mighty Car Mods summed up the show in one sentence, and honestly, it sounds elite.

“A footy player, an actor and a YouTuber attempt to stay friends while travelling the world in a variety of cars and returning whatever doesn’t crash, catch on fire or get stolen from the Colombian jungle,” Blair said. I’m intrigued.

Here’s everything you need to know about Top Gear Australia

There are some pretty expensive cars in Top Gear Australia. (Image: Paramount+ Australia)

**When is Top Gear Australia being released?**

The adrenaline-filled show is coming to Paramount+ on May 17. It’s produced by BBC Studios Australia, so you know it’s going to be filled with comedy and adventure.

What have the hosts of Top Gear Australia said about the show?

The hosts love a bit of banter, and were more than happy to answer a few of PEDESTRIAN.TV’s burning questions about the show.

How outrageous does Top Gear Australia get? How BIG is it?

Blair: BBC Studios went all out on this one. I’m talking supercars in Rome, drag racing in Texas, sports cars in the Swiss Alps and even a visit to the NSW South Coast’s Albion Park. From tractors to motorbikes, to some of the world’s most expensive cars, there really is something for everyone!

Beau: It’s incredible. The live studio was fun to get back in front of the camera in front of people who idolise the show and the countries we went to were epic. But the challenges and tracks we drove on were out of this world. For me, Texas Speedway takes the cake and there was a moment where I actually felt like we were in a scene from Talladega Nights. Drag racing Texans, what more can I say?

JLP: The show is as outrageous as Beau’s bare bottom and as big as Blair’s head. And that’s pretty bloody big!

In the trailer, it looks like there’s a tank, nudity and cars on fire. Can you spill any goss about these wild Top Gear Australia moments?

Blair: Tanks, nudity and cars on fire – yes, what you’ve accurately described is a typical day on set of Top Gear Australia. Beau seems to be very concerned about getting his clothes wet so they often end up on the ground as he “tests the water” (as he calls it).

JLP: The tank is Jay Leno’s and his vehicle of choice for running down to the shop to grab a carton of milk, Beau will often get his kit off unprompted, and we set Blair’s car on fire in Colombia to roast the coffee beans strapped on top. The last bit was actually an accident, but the coffee turned out to be delicious!

Look at these sweet, sweet rides. (Image: Paramount+ Australia)

**What was the most expensive car you drove on Top Gear Australia and was it terrifying?**

Beau: Probably the Ferrari 296 GTS. At first yes it was, driving through roads in Rome that were getting smaller and smaller, but driving through the Tuscan hills behind the boys in $12 million worth of cars was a wonderful moment. Crazy scenes.

JLP: I drove a Pagani Codalunga across Italy…. worth $11 million! When the producers asked me if I was okay with driving such an expensive car I said, “Sure, I’ll drive the balls off that thing!”. However, all that bravado quickly disappeared the first time I drove it on narrow country roads with huge tourist buses in oncoming traffic and a perilous ditch on the other side. No amount of antiperspirant can prepare you for that.

Did you find yourself in any sticky situations during filming?

Blair: For one of the episodes we closed the public road going up a volcano – Mount Vesuvius in Italy – so we could race our supercars. I was the first to launch up the mountain and things didn’t quite go to plan in my Maserati MC20 supercar… which you’ll be able to see for yourself when the series airs on May 17th on Paramount+.

Beau: A few times. You’ll have to wait and see. (Obviously not my fault.)

I don’t know what’s going on here but I love it. (Image: Paramount+ Australia)

**What was your favourite Top Gear Australia location to film in?**

Blair: I loved Colombia. It was a real adventure in cheap cars trying to cover huge distances with such extreme elevations that our cars stopped working properly. I tried coffee for the first time in the jungle, ate ants, bought an authentic poncho, and it was also my first experience of being in a car while the fuel tank was on fire.

Beau: I loved the south of France. Heading from Nice down to Cannes the coastline was incredible and the European Supercars we were in made it feel like a dream.

JLP: We shot in amazing locations all over the world. Italy, France, Switzerland, Monaco, Texas, Los Angeles and Albion Park. But I think my favourite was Colombia. It ended up being a wild adventure in an incredibly interesting and beautiful country I’d never visited before.

How does it feel to be part of the international Top Gear franchise?

JLP: Like a crazy fever dream. I’ve been a huge fan of the show since its inception. In fact, I used to fantasise about being invited to race their “reasonably priced car” around their track. Of course, that invitation never came. So now that I’ve been given the opportunity to be a host on the Aussie version… I’m pinching myself every day!

The Stig is back too! (Image: Paramount+ Australia)

Blair: My taste in cars is a bit different to most people’s in that I don’t dream of owning a supercar. I currently drive a classic Mini (with an engine from a Civic Type R) a 1975 Datsun 240z (with an engine from a Nissan GTR) a Suzuki Swift track car, a turbo-charged BRZ and an LS Powered Nissan Silvia. These are my dream cars and there’s not a supercar in sight.

A lot of viewers that have tuned into my YouTube series Mighty Car Mods know that I love cheap, Japanese cars and making the most out of their performance, even if it means swapping in performance engines. Being able to bring my DIY attitude and accessible car culture to an international franchise like Top Gear Australia has been a really proud moment.

Beau: It feels like I’m in a dream. It was all a blur at times and to travel the world doing things that were out of this world was epic. To go back to Albion Park in a car I grew up idolising was magic and I’m so excited to be a part of it.