Editing Chris Goffey

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|image = [[File:Chris Goffey.jpg|320px]]Goffey competing in the Volkswagen G40 Cup.
|fullname=Christopher Robert Goffey|origin=uk|dob=17th October|sex=Male|occ=Editor|media=Autocar (magazine)|occ2=Presenter|media2=Wheels (TV series)|occ3=Presenter|media3=Top Gear (1977 TV series)|occ4=Presenter|media4=BBC Motor Show TV Specials|occ5=Presenter|media5=Motor Week (UK)|debut=Wheels (TV series)/Series 1/Episode 1|debshort=Wheels: Series 1, Episode 1|year=1980|final=Motor Week (UK)/Series 9/Episode 21|finshort=Motor Week: Series 9, Episode 21|year2=2001}}

'''Christopher Robert Goffey''' was a British automotive journalist and Guild of Motoring Writers member<ref>[https://www.gomw.co.uk/cb-profile/439-chrisgoffey Guild of Motoring Writers - CB Profile: Chris Goffey.]</ref> who helped to present the original incarnation of ''[[Top Gear (1977 TV series)|Top Gear]]'' from its [[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 5|fifth series]] in 1981 through to its [[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 37|37th series]] in 1997, appearing in over 177<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0324601/ IMDb - Chris Goffey.]</ref> episodes during that timeframe. He is also known for being the father of Supergrass drummer Danny Goffey.

==Early life==
Born in 1945 in Bury, Lancashire, Chris Goffey attended<ref>[https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-goffey-5a8a2a33/ LinkedIn - Chris Goffey.]</ref> Gibraltar Grammar School and Bishop Wordsworth School in Salisbury, before joining the world of automotive journalism in his late teens. In 1965, he would get his first job<ref>Goffey, C. (1977) 'News: Promotion for Goffey.', ''Autocar'', 1st October.</ref> at the ''Ruislip Northwood Post'', before moving on to the ''Bucks Advertiser'' and the ''Slough Evening Mail''. He would marry his wife and later Labour councillor Linda Nolan (not related<ref>[https://www.thegayuk.com/motoring-heroes-chris-goffey/ The Gay UK - Motoring Heroes: Chris Goffey.]</ref> to Linda Nolan of ''Nolan Sisters'' fame) in 1969, who would birth two sons; Nic Goffey, who became a director<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1463601/ IMDb - Nic Goffey.]</ref> primarily known for music videos produced for bands such as The Chemical Brothers and Supergrass with business partner Dominic Hawley, and his younger brother Danny, born in 1974, who would become the drummer for the latter group.

==Career==
After approximately 6 - 7 years as an amateur writer, Goffey would turn professional in 1972 by joining ''[[Autocar (magazine)|Autocar]]'' as a member of its editorial team, as well as road testing the latest cars for the magazine. By 1975, he had been promoted to the role of News Editor, which he held until 1977 before departing for the journal ''Motor Trader'', where he wrote for the publication until<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20141111131621/http://www.debretts.com/people-of-today/profile/3452/Chris-Robert-GOFFEY (Archive link) Debretts People of Today - Chris Goffey, Esq.]</ref> 1980.

===Thames TV & early ''Top Gear'' career=== 
After 8 years as an exclusively print-based personality, Goffey would make his television debut on the 9th April, 1980, to present the [[Wheels (TV series)/Series 1/Episode 1|very first episode]] of [[ITV/Thames Television|Thames]]' motoring programme ''[[Wheels (TV series)|Wheels]]'', the less successful follow-up to its revolutionary 1970s programme ''[[Drive-In]]''. Wheels would run for an initial series of 7<ref>[https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba5e6e746 BFI - Chris Goffey. ''(also corroborated on TVRDb)'']</ref> episodes from April until late May of that year, before returning for a [[Wheels (TV series)/Series 2|second series]] in late 1981. Goffey would be absent from ''Top Gear''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 6|sixth series]] due to this, as he had debuted<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/4036077260e0442a948252ce515540c5 BBC Genome - ''Top Gear''. (5th May, 1981)]</ref> for the programme during its [[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 5|fifth series]] half a year earlier.

For a brief period in the 1980s, Goffey was associated with rival network [[Channel 4]], presenting and producing the sole<ref>[https://tvrdb.com/listings/1984-01-15 TVRDb - 15th January, 1984.]</ref><ref>[https://tvrdb.com/listings/1985-04-29 TVRDb - 29th April, 1985.]</ref> series of ''[[The Motor Show (Channel 4 TV series)|The Motor Show]]'' at the beginning of 1984 before returning a year later for ''[[Wheeltracks]]'', which ran from April until June of 1985 as C4's first two<ref>[https://assets-corporate.channel4.com/_flysystem/s3/2017-06/annual_report_1986_0.pdf Channel 4 - Annual Report 1986. (''PDF'')]</ref> of multiple attempts to capitalise on ''Top Gear''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s viewing audience. However, these programmes fell through and by late 1985, Goffey was presenting full-time for ''Top Gear'' once more.

===Rise to fame===
In 1986, in the face of a changing programme, producer [[Jon Bentley]] would successfully convince<ref>Roach, M. (2011) ''The Top Gear Story.'' London: John Blake Publishing Ltd., pp. 7-8.</ref> his higher-ups to present a segment between the two Italian "dream cars" of the era, the [[Ferrari Testarossa]] and [[Lamborghini Countach]], which appeared in [[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 15/Episode 10|Series 15, Episode 10]] of ''Top Gear'' as a 'tongue-in-cheek'<ref>BBC Infax database.</ref> comparison presented by Goffey, who Bentley felt was the programme's ''enfant terrible'' of the era. As the programme was not yet particularly known for airing segments on faster cars as it would during the 1990s and subsequent decades, the pair would film an "apologetic" intro and conduct the review at [[Bruntingthorpe]] aerodrome, shooting the footage on 16mm film cameras. That same year, Goffey would court controversy as he would slate the first diesel-engined [[Range Rover Classic|Range Rover]] in favour of its petrol-engined antecedent, much to the chagrin of those who had helped to engineer it. In response, a team within [[Land Rover]] was set up<ref>[https://influenceassociates.com/only-car-ever-built-as-a-riposte-to-bbc-top-gear/ Influence Associates - Only Car Ever Built As A Riposte To BBC Top Gear.]</ref> specifically to spite Goffey and the programme, and a car known as the 'Beaver Bullet' was built to allow the diesel Range Rover to go after many diesel and endurance-related records, of which it would claim 27.

Following the launch of ''The Independent'' newspaper in 1986, Chris Goffey would immediately choose to become its motoring page editor, in a role which he would hold until around 1988. In 1989, Goffey published a sole book<ref>[https://www.biblio.com/how-to-buy-a-good-used-car-by-goffey-chris/work/3807845 Biblio - ''How To Buy a Good Used Car''.]</ref> titled ''How To Buy a Good Used Car''. Between [[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 15|Series 15]] in 1986 and [[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 21|Series 21]] in early 1989, Chris Goffey appeared in 52 of the 55 episodes broadcast during this time period as the show's second main presenter during the tenure of [[William Woollard]]. Along with Woollard, [[Sue Baker]], and [[Frank Page]], Goffey was an integral part of the 1980s ''Top Gear'' presenting team, and largely survived the programme's upheaval during the second half of the 1980s, which saw the departures of Baker and Page, followed by Woollard in 1991, along with the debut of new on-screen talent such as [[Tiff Needell]], [[Beki Adam]] and [[Jeremy Clarkson]]. Clarkson in particular idolised Goffey, under whose subsequent tenure often saw Goffey share the most screentime of any presenter other than Clarkson, such as during [[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 28|Series 28]] in 1992, [[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 29|Series 29]] in 1993, and [[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 33|Series 33]] in 1995.

Towards the end of the 1980s, Goffey would represent the 1910s and 1950s for ''Top Gear's'' ''[[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 20/Episode 1|Car of the Decade]]'' special which kicked off the programme's [[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 20|twentieth series]], behind the wheel of the finalists for those respective decades; the [[Ford Model T]] and [[Citroën DS]]. For the occasion, Goffey would dress up in period-accurate clothing along with the other hosts.

===Later career===
As the 1990s progressed, Goffey's role on the show shrunk as more and more newer hosts joined the programme such as [[Quentin Willson]] and [[Michele Newman]]. His final normal car reviews were for the [[Peugeot 406]] in October 1995, and the [[Jeep Grand Cherokee (ZJ)|Jeep Grand Cherokee]] in March 1996. After this point, Goffey either presented pieces on limited-production cars such as the [[Buckingham V12]], [[Ultima Spyder]] and [[Minari Engineering|Minari]] kit car, or pieces on automotive technology, sporting events and other assorted topics in a similar vein to [[Tony Mason]].

In August 1996, Goffey paid a visit<ref>[http://hyde1841.blogspot.com/2019/07/john-watson.html Ferraris and Other Things - John Watson.]</ref> to the Coys International Historic Festival at [[Silverstone]] to report on the event, which included an interview with Formula 1 driver John Watson. Also that Summer, he would participate in the very first ''[[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 35/Top Gear Live|Top Gear Live]]'' special, also at Silverstone, where he would partake in a race against several other ''Top Gear'' presenters in a specially-prepared [[SEAT Ibiza/Cupra|SEAT Ibiza Cupra]], finishing 2nd after being overtaken by Jeremy Clarkson near the end of the race. During that event, he would also take a ride in a [[Skoda Felicia]] rally car. His final review for the programme would be a piece on the retro-inspired [[Lea-Francis Ace of Spades]] along with a visit to the [[Lea-Francis|marque]]'s factory, which aired in March 1997 as part of [[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 37/Episode 10|Series 37, Episode 10]], which outside of archive footage was his only appearance that entire series. He would leave ''Top Gear'' in 1997, before signing a new television contract with rival network Granada for their [[Men & Motors]] digital station. His role on ''Top Gear'' would be replaced by female host [[Vicki Butler-Henderson]].

===Men & Motors===
Goffey's first appearance under his new employers came in April of 1998, for [[Motor Week (UK)/Series 2/Episode|Series 2, Episode 2]] of its ''Top Gear'' competitor ''[[Motor Week (UK)|Motor Week]]'', where he was tasked with presenting a review for the [[Audi A6 (C5)#Avant|Audi A6 Avant]]. For the next several years, Goffey's duties on the programme differed little from those he had held previously on ''Top Gear'', and would be one of the programme's main personalities alongside future ''[[Top Gear (2002 TV series)|Top Gear]]'' presenter [[Richard Hammond]] as well as [[Brendan Coogan]]. Along with this programme, Goffey's footage would be resampled in several of Men & Motors other programmes in order to maximise his screentime, such as ''Dream Deals'' and ''Car File'', which continued to run throughout the early 2000s. He would step down from the programme in December 2001, presenting his final ever televised car review on the then-new [[Toyota Corolla (E120)|Toyota Corolla]].

===Final appearances and later life===
After his retirement from ''Motor Week'', Chris Goffey would present 26 episodes of the shortlived game show ''Asking Price'' for Men & Motors until June of 2002. Goffey looks starkly different in these appearances, lacking his trademark goatee, looking visibly thinner and having a higher-pitched, frailer-sounding voice. It is not known if Goffey was absent from the final 15 episodes of ''Motor Week'' due to other obligations to the channel, or if ''Asking Price'' was created because Goffey was no longer able to present in his previous capacity due to an undisclosed illness or personal choice, though it is known that Goffey once suffered a broken neck as a result of a horseriding accident which did not debilitate him. Discounting these latter appearances, Goffey would retire after an uninterrupted 29 year long career which spanned from 1972 until 2001.

He'd also, write, direct and star in the television documentary ''Citroen: The French Connection'', which released in either 2003<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr2-ZcxX_0M YouTube - ''Citroen: The French Connection''.]</ref> or 2004<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3971264/ IMDb - ''Citroen... The French Connection''.]</ref>, as well as ''The Beetle Bug''<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3958656/ IMDB - ''The Beetle Bug''.]</ref>, where he was briefly re-united with fellow former ''Top Gear'' alumnus [[Steve Berry]], before retiring from television for good in order to pursue a career in local politics, joining Oxfordshire County Council in 2005. In the [[Top Gear Magazine/UK/May 2007|May 2007 issue]] of [[Top Gear Magazine/UK|Top Gear Magazine]], Jeremy Clarkson suggested that he would have liked Goffey to have returned to the programme, even for just a cameo appearance in the [[Top Gear (2002 TV series)/Reasonably-Priced Car|Reasonably-Priced Car]], but politely declined each of these offers.

====Jeremy Clarkson's dismissal from ''Top Gear''====
{{Main Article|name=Jeremy Clarkson's dismissal from Top Gear}}
In March 2015, Goffey was one of the few major figures who publicly endorsed Clarkson following his fracas with ''Top Gear'' producer [[Oisin Tymon]], claiming that the latter "made"<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsRLAbW6lGM Sky News - Former Top Gear Presenter: "Jeremy Clarkson Made The Show".]</ref> the show.

==Selected filmography==
{{Unabridged Article|articlename=Filmography}}

*''[[Wheels (TV series)|Wheels]]'': 1980 - 1981 (14 episodes)
*''[[Top Gear (1977 TV series)|Top Gear]]'': 1981 - 1997 (177 episodes)
*''[[The Motor Show (Channel 4 TV series)|The Motor Show]]'': 1984 (8 episodes)
*''[[Wheeltracks]]'': 1985 (6 episodes)
*''[[Motor Week (UK)|Motor Week]]'': 1998 - 2001

==Trivia==
*At 16 years, Chris Goffey holds the record for the longest continuous television career at one programme for a British television presenter (''Top Gear''), appearing in at least one episode every year from 1981 until 1997.
*He bests Tiff Needell's 14-year run at the programme from 1987 - 2001, in addition to several 13-year long runs at ''Top Gear'' and ''[[Fifth Gear]]'' including those of Jeremy Clarkson & Richard Hammond (2002 - 2015), James May (2003 - 2016), and Vicki Butler-Henderson (2002 - 2015).
*Until it was equalled and then surpassed by American journalist [[John Davis]] in 2004, Goffey also held the world record of longest continuous television career as an automotive journalist.
*Though Chris would not appear on the revived format of ''Top Gear'', his son, Supergrass drummer Danny Goffey, featured in the 2007 charity special ''[[Top Gear of the Pops]]''.

==References==
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