AIBF Mass Ascent - 1996 (plus Clarkson from Top Gear)

In 1996 the BBC children's television show "Record Breakers" celebrated its 25th Anniversary. This happened to coincide with the 25th Anniversary of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, so the BBC sent a film crew along to film a record-breaking mass ascent.

It was also at the 1996 fiesta that my balloon Grand Britannia has her maiden flight. If you look very carefully you can see her flying in the top left of the screen at 2:45 into the clip.

Overseas viewers maybe raise an eyebrow at the accent of the presenter, Cheryl Baker. Cheryl was a singer in a popular group of the time called Bucks Fizz. She was employed by the BBC at a time they were keen to lose the image of plummy voiced presenters talking down to the audience, so instead they filled British TV screens with bouncy people whose regional accent was so thick as to be unintelligible by many viewers. I am not sure exactly from where Cheryl's accent comes. Some people have described it as "Estuary", others with more candor say it is "dead common".

During the clip Cheryl bumps into Jeremy Clarkson who was there filming for Top Gear.
It makes for an interesting celebrity stand-off.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• aibf
• fiesta
• balloon
• clarkson
• top
• gear
• jaguar
• glow
• albuquerque
• shapes

[TomHilditch]

Haha, you mention Clarkson, wasn't expecting Dunkley to pop up on there! Now where is his Rosie and Jim experience?!

[oscargoldman85]

At least they could save on flame and just get him to talk into the balloon..

[nazarook]

why would u shoot him.. altough hes extremley biased and raisist i think sometime he can be extremley funny

[cuprarosa]

Clarkson in a hot air baloon; where is a bow and arrow when you need one?