Revealed: What Top Gear stars Matt LeBlanc and Chris Evans were REALLY doing in Cannock
When new Top Gear presenters Matt LeBlanc and Chris Evans made an unexpected appearance in Staffordshire, it seemed chance that a mishap had led them to Cannock.
Their Reliant Robin had broken down during a much-publicised road challenge for the show.
But the Express & Star can now reveal the true story behind the famous pair's visit – they were brought home by the mechanic.
Because supplying the Reliant Robins for Top Gear was family-run breakers yard Chase Car Spares in Cannock.
Darren Owen, owner of the firm which has been supplying cars to the BBC show for six years, was asked to provide two Reliant Robins for a challenge by LeBlanc and Evans to drive from London to Blackpool, a distance of 230 miles.
On the way, the water pump of the ex-Friends star's car failed on the M40, near to Oxford. Fortunately, in case of any mishaps, Darren had been following them in his tow truck across the UK.
And when the car packed in, he winched the three-wheeler back to Cannock for repair – with Matt LeBlanc on the back for the entire two-hour trip.
On arrival in the town and while waiting for spare parts, the BBC team – including LeBlanc and Evans – took a break at KFC on the Orbital Retail Park, shocking staff and customers who posed for pictures with the stars.
Darren, aged 43, who started working with the BBC after he was recommended through a contact at Hednesford Hills Raceway, said it was a pleasure to work with the new Top Gear team – having previously worked with former presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.
"They were the nicest people you will ever, ever meet, said Darren of the new team. "They have a lot of time for the public and after putting in so much effort, really deserve for the new Top Gear to work.
"One of the cars was bought relatively locally and the other I had to get all the way from Belfast. It was a big rush to get but they were over the moon with them, it was just a shame that one of them kept breaking down."
"I was with them all the way and then when the water pump broke I rung my work, Chase Car Spares, and told them 'you're going to have to meet me somewhere with some spare parts'.
"I needed to collect the parts to fix the cars, so suggested pulling in at Cannock and I could use the time to get them sorted. They were probably in KFC for half an hour, which was when all the locals got to meet them.
"Nothing that happened was fixed at all, everything was one hundred per cent genuine. They both met my family and are just genuine people."
Chase Car Spares, based on the Chaseside Industrial Estate, have bought, built and refurbished up to 30 cars for Top Gear over the years.
Darren has supplied all sorts of cars for the show in the past, including one in particular in which Jeremy Clarkson took on the extreme sport of Reliant Robin rolling in the streets of Sheffield.
In that episode he was aided by a host of northern celebrities who just happened to be on hand to help keep the fabled three-wheeler upright.
[youtube title="Watch Jeremy Clarkson roll one of Darren's Reliant Robins"][/youtube]
With the cars for the recent series, Darren and his team were requested to make a host of modifications, which included turning them into convertibles, adding safety roll cages and five-point rail harnesses.
He added: "It was a team effort from everyone at work to get them finished. It was literally touch and go, we had to send it in for MOT but one failed the first time around.
"We literally got back in time to get it MOT'd again and crossed our fingers that it would pass – but luckily it did.
"I had to run down the post office in Heath Hayes to tax both cars just in time before it closed.
"It was filmed over four days and they did more challenges. Overall, everything went to plan and it will make fantastic television – there are exciting things to come."
Darren Owen started his business more than 20 years ago and has travelled around the world with the Top Gear team.
