Marlow Bottom Top Gear to air tonight

4:38pm Friday 14th March 2008

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A TOP Gear special filmed in Marlow Bottom in which the presenters pretend to trash Sir Steve Redgrave's garden will be shown tonight.

The show, which will air on BBC Two from 10pm, will follow Jeremy Clarkson and company as they play a prank on the baffled athlete for the charity Sport Relief.

Titled "Top Garden Ground Gear Force", the programme will be a parody of the BBC's garden show "Ground Force", and is expected to involve a lot more destruction than creativity.

According to the show's website, presenters Clarkson and James May had rather unconventional ideas about the best way to improve the gold medallist's garden, "Ones that mainly involved concrete, explosives, and a shed."

Filming took place on February 29. At the time, residents reported hearing explosions and a digger was seen lopsided in a ditch on Sir Steve's property.

Mr Regrave was kept away from his house by his wife and agent while filming took place. On his return, the cameras captured the athlete's gobsmacked reaction.

Speaking at the time, the programme's editor Carl Doran said: "He knew absolutely nothing about it - we really set him up. But we knew he'd see the funny side."