Top Gear hosts offered moonshine before drag race

Two of the 'Top Gear' presenters almost got drunk before a drag race - but the show's boss put the brakes on them sampling some pre-race moonshine.

The incident occurred while filming an episode of the new series in Iceland when co-hosts Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness were minus fellow presenter Freddie Flintoff, 43, who was forced to isolate having come into contact with a COVID-19 positive Jamie Redknapp on the set of Sky Max’s 'A League Of Their Own'.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper, Paddy said: “One of the local lads tried to give us moonshine when we were out there doing a drag race.

“I was like, ‘That’s not the best thing to have before driving, being honest.' "

And Chris, 46, is grateful for show boss Clare Pizey getting involved, otherwise he'd have been "all over that".

He said: “It was 77 per cent proof moonshine and 'Top Gear' boss Clare, she confiscated it. I would have been all over that.

“But seriously, we felt privileged to get away.

"We needed to get abroad because we have explored so much of the UK. Going away reminded us why we make this show."

New 'A Question of Sport' host Paddy enjoyed filming one particular episode, when he got to meet his idol, Eddie Kidd, who was left paralysed after crashing his motorbike in 1996.

Meeting Eddie left Paddy, 48, in tears, and he'd like to think the episode featuring the 62-year-old former stuntman did him "justice".

He said: “It was so special being around Eddie.

“He has a little bungalow in Brighton and the bike he had the crash on is in the hallway.

“As a fan I wanted to spend all day there asking him questions.

"At the end of the show after the stunts, there was a moment when one of the drivers, Terry, who had known Eddie for 30-odd years, was with Eddie and it was the first time I saw him break down.

“I was crying.

"It felt to me that Eddie was like, ‘This is the life I had before the horrendous accident’.

“And that he would still be doing it now.

“It was just so emotional. I think we have done him justice.”