Top Gear: A One-Shot For Every Episode

S01xE01: The Beginning, Take Three

Series 1 episode 1

They have one more chance to make this all work after two failed pilot episodes, otherwise they walk.

Word Count; 1,519

~*~*~

"I don't want to do this, Jeremy."

Richard's words nearly make him choke on his cup of tea. He admittedly was expecting to hear it, considering how bad the filming went for the pilot episode of Top Gear... twice.... But he doesn't like to hear those words coming out of Richard's mouth.

That he doesn't want to do this now. Because they've already filmed two different pilot episodes for the first series of Top Gear, and they were both absolutely shit. They turned out terrible, and now they're about to have a third go at it.

Their last chance to make it work, before they very well may have to call it quits on the whole thing.

Jeremy doesn't blame him, he really doesn't. But he really wants this to work, and to be able to do this with Richard. And, of course, Jason. Truthfully though, Jason Dawe wasn't his first choice for the third Top Gear presenter, he really wanted James May to come on board, but the man had declined. Unfortunately....

"Richard. I know things haven't been going well so far, but I promise you it'll get better." Jeremy says. "You just need to trust me, please."

Richard doesn't look too sure, and Jeremy finds himself afraid that he doesn't trust him enough when he says that it'll get better, and that he's going to leave the show now before it's even properly begun. Jeremy doesn't want that. He wants Richard to be on board to do this. He's grown quite fond of the younger man in the time he's gotten to know him, and he honestly can't imagine doing this without him.

"Please, Richard. I really want to do this with you." He continues. "Will you give it another shot?"

He can't imagine anyone better to do this with. During Richard's audition for the show, he just knew that he was the perfect man for the job, and Jeremy doesn't want Richard to go just yet.

Richard's quiet, seemingly considering it, before he nods, a small smile on his lips. "Okay." He says. "But... if it still doesn't work this time around, then I'm sorry, Jeremy, but I just can't do it."

Jeremy sighs in relief, pulling Richard in for a hug - which takes the other man by surprise, but he doesn't push him away.

He's absolutely relieved that Richard has agreed to give all of this another chance. Even if it's just one final chance and if it doesn't work out then he's gone. Which Jeremy understands, but he has a good feeling about it this time... sort of.... He at the very least has a good feeling that things will turn out better than it did the first two times that had filmed the pilot episode.

And now if he has any chance of keeping Richard on board with the show, then this third attempt has to work.

"Thank you, Richard." He sighs. "I promise you things will work out this time."

No one wants this to work better than he does. Reviving Top Gear is something that Jeremy's worked so hard on doing alongside his close friend, Andy Wilman, and he desperately wants it to work. He doesn't want it to fail like it has so far.

And he's going to make damn sure that this revival is a success, and that he had Richard completely on board.

He needs this to work. Otherwise, all the hard work that he, Andy, their script writer, Richard Porter, and everyone else on the crew have done to make this all work out, will have been for nothing.