The Classic Car Show is something of a success for Channel 5 and Sony (video)

The Classic Car Show on Channel 5 – fronted by Jodie Kidd and Quentin Wilson – has proved to be a proper success, with the programme now shown in 100 countries.

The success of Top Gear over the years has seen television programme makers looking for a new angle on a TV car show that might attract viewers, and it seems Channel 5 has had something of a hit with The Classic Car Show.

The Classic Car Show aired earlier this year (13 episodes of it) fronted by long-time car man Quentin Wilson and petrolhead model Jodie Kidd and, although not daft or dynamic in the way Top Gear was, it offered something TG rarely did – a mouth-watering selection of classic cars.

The two presenters were complimented by a changing selection of celebrity petrolheads – including David Gandy, Steve Coogan, Brit Ekland, Derek Bell and even Sir Stirling Moss – as they travelled the globe to seek out appealing metal, from a Ferrari 250 GT California Spider to an MGB GT.

There have also been decent competitions – the chance to drive away in an Aston Martin V8 Vantage – and something no classic car lover can ignore with a James Bond special with ex-Stig and Bond stunt driver Ben Collins on hand. They’ve even affected the value of classics, with a piece on the Ferrari 456 seeing prices doubling in the following weeks (great if you own a 456, but if you want to buy one…).

We’re guessing the budget must have been quite decent with all that’s on offer, but the viewing figures for its 7pm Thursday slot on C5 were 42 per cent up on the normal figures, and distributors Sony Pictures Entertainment have managed to flog the series to more than 100 countries – which won’t have hurt the bottom line one bit – and they’ve attracted some high-end sponsors too.

Quentin Wilson said:

We’ve made TV history by celebrating classic cars in a deeply glamorous and passionate way and we’re all delighted that so many mainstream viewers, who aren’t hard core old car enthusiasts, have tuned in. The feedback from international viewers is the same – they tell us love the way we’ve brought beauty, style and sexiness to the world of classic cars.

It’s proof that a successful car show doesn’t have to be Top Gear to work.

Classic Car Show on Channel 5 Highlights video