British TV presenter Fuzz Townshend’s week: Autojumble, neglected classic cars and music

• Musician, writer and presenter Fuzz Townshend epitomises Brits’ love for old metal
• Car SOS: aired in over 100 countries, bought by Channel 4/More4
• Current series: ten classic vehicles to re-commission in 24 weeks
• Sunday slot pulls over half a million viewers

British TV presenter Fuzz Townshend creates a stir (in more ways than one) wherever he goes.

Now in its third series, Car SOS, which Fuzz co-presents with Tim Shaw of Fifth Gear, has provided further proof (were that necessary) of Britain’s undying love for classic vehicles, even though some restoration projects may need rescuing by his team. According to a survey published in 2011 by The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs, there are just under 900,000 pre-1981 vehicles in Britain, and owners spend some £3 billion a year to support their classic car interests.

Car SOS, a National Geographic Channel production, is aired in over 100 countries and has recently been bought by Channel 4/More4; its Sunday slot pulls over half a million of viewers.

Fuzz filmed a sequence as part of a new episode of TV programme Car SOS at Beaulieu International Autojumble where, he planned to make contact with parts suppliers to help bring back to life neglected and forlorn classic vehicles secretly selected for rescuing.

For someone who regularly travels up and down the country seeking classic cars worth saving, being surrounded by a sea of old car parts and ephemera at Beaulieu was a worthy beginning to a week spent filming and re-commissioning cars on a tight schedule (SOS Car consists of ten episodes per series within a 24-week period).

The week ends for ‘dynamo’ Fuzz with the assessment of the car re-commissioned in his own workshop, before the presenter is off to play drums for ‘The Beat’ at Colchester Arts Centre. Townshend has also started a monthly column in Classic Car Weekly and writes regularly for Practical Classics.