Chris Goffey
Christopher Robert Goffey (born 17 October 1945)[1] is an English journalist and television personality, best known as a presenter of the BBC motoring television series Top Gear.
He crossed over to Channel 4 in the mid-1980s and worked with two motoring programmes (The Motor Show and Wheeltracks) before returning to Top Gear. He has worked on many different corporate, instructional, and motivational films for a variety of clients.
Early life
Goffey was born in Bury, Lancashire. From 1965 he honed his skills with the Ruislip Northwood Post, the Bucks Advertiser (now the Bucks Herald), and the Slough Evening Mail.[2]
Motoring press
Between 1972 and 1977 Goffey worked as a member of the editorial team of Britain's Autocar magazine, where for five years his responsibilities included the news pages.[2] Recognition came in 1975 when he was designated News Editor. Leaving Autocar in 1977, he obtained his own editorship with the journal Motor Trader.[2] He is a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers.
Top Gear
Goffey's demeanour was deliberately understated, calm, and practical when dealing with all road tests on Top Gear. His beard, formal attire, and common sense were a direct foil to the more in-your-face antics of his colleague Jeremy Clarkson. During a race among all the Top Gear presenters in SEAT Ibizas in 1996, Clarkson noted that the last time Goffey had been on a track, he had been "tearing the tyres off an Audi 80".
Later career
Goffey was one of the presenters, alongside Richard Hammond and Brendan Coogan, on the first series of Dream Deals, a motoring show which aired on the Men & Motors channel, in 2001.
In his May 2007 Top Gear Magazine column, Jeremy Clarkson suggested that he would like Goffey back on the programme and would prefer a more serious approach but that the audience wanted them to "cock about".[3]
Citroen...The French Connection
A one off documentary lasting 45 minute part of many car documentaries shown on Men and Motors channel part of the Granada media group. The show was aired on the channel in February 2006. Goffey narrated and presented the show which covers the period from 1900, when the Citroën company was started, to the release of the Citroën C3 Pluriel in 2003.
Personal life
Goffey is the father of music video director Nick Goffey and Supergrass drummer Danny Goffey. He married Linda Nolan in north-west Surrey in 1969. They live in South Oxfordshire.