Take That’s Howard Donald To Present Car Show ‘Mission Ignition’ For Channel 4
Sometimes presenter casting may seem a bit “left of field”, and this one is no exception… Take That star Howard Donald is set to present a new car show, ‘Mission Ignition‘, alongside racing supremo Dario Franchitti.
Channel 4’s brand new 4×60’ series will give two teams of amateur car enthusiasts the opportunity to drive off in their dream car – however, they’ll have to rebuild it first.
Whilst, on the surface, Donald might seem like an odd choice, he is actually a classic car collector and amateur racing driver, along with his day job of being in one of Britain’s largest bands, so it does actually make more sense than it first appears. He’s joined by 3x Indianapolis 500 winner and 4x IndyCar Series champion, Dario Franchitti, and each will lead a team of passionate petrol heads, guiding them to the finish line and hopefully the win.
In each episode two classic cars will be turned into a giant jigsaw puzzle with Franchitti and Donald and their teams battling it out to put their car back together with the first team to rebuild it and start their engine getting to keep it.
It is well known that Howard Donald left his job as a panel beater and vehicle sprayer to join Take That in 1989, but many people may not know that he is now a racing driver himself, and has raced at the likes of Le Mans and Silverstone in cars such as the Porsche 911 GT2 and an Austin A30. “I’ve always loved classic cars,” comments Howard. “So the opportunity to be involved in Mission Ignition and see these historic cars rebuilt is fantastic.”
Along with the tension and drama of the build, ‘Mission Ignition’ will also take a nostalgic journey through the history of the cars celebrating the ingenuity of these fantastic machines.
“Watching the two teams battling it out for the keys to some beautiful classics is truly gripping,” commented Channel 4 Head of Formats Dom Bird and Commissioning Editor for Format, Jonny Rothery, who commisioned the series. “Followed closely by the growing rivalry between Howard and Dario, it’s not just a show for wannabe mechanics but for anyone who loves watching passionate people on screen.”
No news on when ‘Mission Ignition‘ will air yet, but we’ll let you know when we hear more.
