BTCC stars to appear on <I>Top Gear.</I>

British Touring Car Championship stars Tom Chilton, Robert Huff, Matt Neal and Anthony Reid, plus former Champion Tim Harvey, are to appear on Britain's biggest motoring programme Top Gear later this month.

The five stars will join presenter Richard Hammond on the show on Sunday 21 November in a spectacular race around Arena Essex - in historic people carriers!

The race, to celebrate 20 years of people carriers, was filmed on 11 November and is the latest in a series of bizarre features on the BBC2 show, which have included trying (unsuccessfully) to 'kill' a Toyota Hilux pick-up truck by putting it on top of a tower block which was then blown-up, playing conkers with caravans, and seeing how many childrens bouncy castles an ice cream van can jump over.

BTCC fanatics will not be disappointed as, in keeping with true championship tradition, the drivers will serve up plenty of action and take the machines to new found limits.

"People carriers are great levellers so I was just about able to hang on in there and rub panels with the BTCC drivers," Hammond said. "I thought they'd murder me, but they seemed more interested in making life difficult for one another. But that's not to say it was without some pretty hairy moments.

"It was one of the most enjoyable days of filming I can remember and the footage that the crew got back was superb. I've been a fan of the BTCC for some time and it was clear to see just how good these drivers are. Some of the things they did with those vehicles were unbelievable. Viewers are in for something a bit special."