Television Career
Edmonds hosted Top of the Pops at various points between 1970 and 1978, during which time he also presented a phone in programme for teenagers called Z Shed on BBC1 as well as a programme called Hobby Horse. He hosted the children's Saturday morning programme, Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, which ran from 1976 until 1982. In 1980, Edmonds took part in the Eurovision Song Contest, introducing the UK entry live on stage at the final in The Hague. During Swap Shop's run, Edmonds had his first brushes with Saturday evening television, presenting Lucky Numbers, a phone-in quiz programme which required viewers to call in and answer questions based on clips of films shown – and a revival of the 1960s pop music series Juke Box Jury.
Edmonds later moved to a Saturday early evening slot, first with The Late, Late Breakfast Show. The programme was cancelled by the BBC on 15 November 1986, following an accident two days earlier in which Michael Lush died. He had been selected to take part in a live stunt for the 'Whirly Wheel' section: while rehearsing a bungee jump he plunged 120 ft to his death when his rope came loose. Noel Edmonds quit the show immediately after, although returned to Saturday night TV with his 'Saturday Roadshow', two years later.
Edmonds was one of the original presenters of the BBC's motoring series Top Gear during the 1970s. During his time on the programme, he rubbished the Fiat Strada, saying it "wasn't very good", which caused Fiat to threaten to sue the BBC unless he apologised for the comments. Edmonds reappeared in one episode of Top Gear in the 1990s, to road test the classic 1960s Ford GT40 supercar, because current host Jeremy Clarkson - at 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) tall - was unable to fit into the cockpit. In keeping with motor vehicles, Edmonds also starred in an advert for Austin Rover cars on British television during the mid 1980s. Also in the 1980s, he hosted a series on BBC1 called "The Time Of Your Life", where celebrities recalled the time they were at their happiest professionally. It ran for three series from 1983.
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