Vernon Kay to present ITV's celeb motor racing challenge, Drive

(Image credit: Nils Jorgensen/REX/Shutterstock)

Eight celebrities will put the pedal to the metal on ITV's motor racing challenge show, Drive, which will be presented by Vernon Kay.

Double British Touring Car Champion Jason Plato will be on hand to provide expert advice to the competing celebrities, who include rapper Professor Green; singer Ella Eyre; Louis Walsh; Johnny Vegas; Olympic athlete Colin Jackson; TV presenter Mariella Frostrup; weather expert Laura Tobin; and Angus Deayton.

The celebs will drive old bangers, buggies, 4x4s and rally cross cars among others in a variety of unexpected and action-packed driving challenges.

The celebrities with the slowest time in each challenge will battle it out in a Night Race to see who will remains on Drive. A treat for those who reach the final – they'll burn up the tracks in Formula 4000 racing cars in a bid to be crowned the Drive Champion.

Vernon said: “Everyone thinks they can drive, but can they? This show will test not only their skills behind the wheel, but also how they control their fear. Drive is not just about straight line speed, all driving skills are going to be tested. But when it’s not your clutch you’re burning or your tyres you’re shredding, it’s full steam ahead!”

Jason said:  “I’m excited to see what these celebrities can do behind the steering wheel. There is a massive difference from driving a car on the road to taking something to the race track and it will be interesting to see who has what it takes to take their foot off the brake and test their limits.”

Drive will premiere on ITV later in 2016.

 

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.