One day Guy Martin, the grinning motormouth with mutton chops and an infectious love of engines, is going to break the speed of sound, if not light. He talks fast, he rides fast and, in Guy Martin: Top Gun (Channel 4), he blasts into the jet age in a de Havilland Vampire fighter plane. “I’m not bloody Tom Cruise,” he says. It’s not just the title that suggests otherwise.
He has flown before of course. On a previous expedition Martin took the air in a Hurricane and, in his words, “made a pig’s ear” of it. It now appears that his prejudice is in favour of simpler, sleeker engines. This feature-length adventure (once you’ve factored in the ads) was a romantic tribute to the jet age, when planes started doing without clunky old propellers.
Having broken every other bone in his body in the previous pursuit of daredevilry, Martin was in relatively safe hands here. A classically understated instructor sat next to him in the cockpit as they roared over England, performing L-plated loop-the-loops and other madcap manoeuvres. Only his landing was deemed “a little bit agricultural”.
What you get with Martin, up there and back on terra firma, is wide-eyed, can-do enthusiasm. Having explored the history of the jet engine, he then built his own and fired it up like an overgrown pyromaniac. Meanwhile, though it’s not clear that Martin is a natural environmentalist, it was good to see him devoting proper time and thought to the jet engine’s devastating climatic impact.
Brave young test pilots were sent up in new-fangled speed machines, often forfeiting their lives before they could activate the ejector seat. Some survivors, including Frederick Forsyth, shared spirited memories of bygone thrills and near misses. Martin shares their DNA. “I think I’d have made a good test pilot,” he said, “because I’m not scared.”
He’s afraid of nothing apart from talking directly into the lens, preferring to bounce everything off a producer somewhere behind the camera. “Can I say money shot?” he asked, without waiting for a reply. As he and his Vampire hurdled over jagged Swiss Alps at 500 mph with sweatless aplomb, there were loads of those.
Guy Martin's Life Off-Screen
Guy Martin is featuring in a new documentary as he trains to fly a classic frontline fighter jet. Here's all you need to know about his life off-screen.
Guy Martin: Top Gun is airing on Channel 4 on Sunday and the documentary sees the ex-motorbike racer build a jet engine in his shed. He hopes to gain an understanding of the technology's original creator, Sir Frank Whittle.
With jet travel heavily impacting climate change, Guy hopes to find less damaging alternatives, before heading off to the Swiss Alps to fly a fighter jet through the mountains. Guy has always lived an adventurous life with his curiosity over motors beginning when he was just 12.
As a child he was fascinated by engines, and would take apart lawnmowers to find ways of increasing their speed. While completing his apprenticeship as a lorry mechanic, he started racing motorbikes in his spare time.
When he was just 18 he moved to Ireland to join Team Racing and went on to become a household name in motorsport. The 42-year-old from Grimsby, Lincolnshire, was named Guy in tribute to Guy Gibson of No. 617 Squadron RAF.
Wing Commander Guy Gibson was a distinguished bomber pilot in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
Guy's dad, Ian, was a successful privateer motorbike racer competing in Isle of Man TT events, but he needed a way to make more money and took on work as a lorry mechanic and bike salesman.
His mother, Rita Kidals, was Latvian with her father having come to Britain in 1947 as a political refugee.
Guy also has two sisters and a brother, Stuart, who is a truck mechanic and motorbike racer. Meanwhile his younger sister, Kate, was the first female mechanic in the BSB paddock.
All three siblings attended every Isle of Man TT racing event from their births as a family tradition, however they stopped after their father crashed during a race in 1988.
After recovering from a broken hip, his father did not race again. Yet Guy attributes his strong work ethic to his father.
Guy now lives near Grasby, North Lincolnshire with his partner Sharon and their daughter Dottie.
Inside his best-selling book, We Need to Weaken the Mixture, he said he and his partner did not agree on Dot's career path.
He joked: “I keep telling people I would like Dot to be a welder, because women are supposed to make better welders than men. Shazza doesn’t agree with my career plans. She says Dot will be whatever she wants to be.”
How to Watch Guy Martin: Top Gun in the US
Guy Martin: Top Gun is airing on Channel 4 on Sunday, August 25 at 9pm
Watching Guy Martin Top Gun is possible on Channel 4 in the UK. However, if you’re in the US, you won’t be able to access it directly due to regional restrictions. But don’t worry! You can still stream this fascinating documentary on Channel 4 by using ExpressVPN. A VPN will allow you to connect to a UK server, making it appear as if you’re browsing from within the UK. This way, you can easily unlock and enjoy Guy Martin’s thrilling adventures from the comfort of your home in the US.
5 Quick Steps to Watch Guy Martin: Top Gun in the US
Get ready for the high-octane adventure of Guy Martin: Top Gun on Channel 4, even if you’re in the US. This guide will show you how to watch the special in just 5 quick steps using a VPN, so you can enjoy the action from anywhere in the world.
- Sign Up for a VPN: ExpressVPN is a popular and reliable VPN service that can help you unblock Channel 4 from anywhere in the world.
- Download and Install the VPN: Once you’ve signed up, download and install the ExpressVPN app on your device.
- Connect to a UK Server: Open the ExpressVPN app and connect to a server in the UK.
- Open Channel 4: Now that you’re connected to a UK server, go to the Channel 4 website or app.
- Enjoy the Show! You can now watch Guy Martin: Top Gun on Channel 4 without any restrictions.
What to Expect in Guy Martin: Top Gun
Guy Martin Top Gun follows the adrenaline-fueled journey of Guy Martin as he pushes the limits by training to fly a classic frontline fighter jet. Known for his passion for speed and engineering, Guy takes on the monumental task of building a jet engine in just one day, paying tribute to Sir Frank Whittle, the brilliant British inventor. As Guy immerses himself in the history and technology of jet engines, he explores both their origins and their future. The program culminates in a breathtaking mission in the Swiss Alps, where Guy attempts to fly a fighter jet through the treacherous mountain range. This documentary is a must-watch for fans of engineering, aviation, and high-octane adventures.
When to Watch Guy Martin: Top Gun
Guy Martin Top Gun premieres on Sunday, August 24th, on Channel 4. Make sure to tune in for this one-of-a-kind exploration of jet engine technology and the thrilling world of fighter jets.
Conclusion
Guy Martin: Top Gun is a captivating documentary that takes viewers on a thrilling journey with the legendary motorcycle racer. With a VPN, you can watch the show from anywhere in the world, so don’t miss out on this exciting adventure.
