Bangers: Cars of the People (w/t) speeds on to Channel 4 in partnership with eBay

3 July 2023

Channel 4, in partnership with eBay, has commissioned an exciting new 4 x 60’ series from Plum Pictures and Imhotep Productions, set to launch later this year. 

Tinie and F1 analyst and stunt driver Naomi Schiff look at the cars from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s making a comeback.  Motors like the Ford Sierra Cosworth, Peugeot 205 GTI, and the Citroen Saxo were all part of the landscape decades ago, but are now enjoying a renaissance. Your mum’s school run motor is now a hipster’s dream, fetching tens of thousands of pounds at auction.…Car enthusiasts know them as ‘modern classics.’ Tinie and Naomi have christened them ‘Bangers’.

Each week they look at a different category: hatchbacks, sports cars, 4 x 4’s and family cars. Naomi and Tinie go head-to-head in the ‘Battle of the Bangers’ to decide which is the best in class. With the help of car lovers all over the UK, they will delve into the performance, history, culture and iconography of each car – before the final challenge to decide which comes out on top.

Now a motorsport broadcaster who has raced karts, prototypes, GTs and Formulas, Naomi Schiff knows cars. Tinie has been obsessed with cars since he bought his first at 17, a Vauxhall Corsa which he “modded” to within an inch of its life. He’s also an avid F1 fan and has followed the tour around the globe.

Naomi gets first pick of the cars, and each week, Tinie has to select a car to go against her.  He’ll be meeting some of the most passionate, audacious car owners in the UK, who will be convincing him to choose their model to champion. To see the cars in action, he’ll be flying down quarry slopes in a 4 x 4, attempting to squeeze a 6-wheel Defender through the streets of Chelsea, and battling to save the reputation of the Renault Espace.

Each week, Tinie will meet a celebrity to hear about their life in cars, their first car, their first kiss in a car, and the car they wish they’d had. He’ll be surprising them with some motors they’d forgotten and some old photos they’d LOVE to have been forgotten.

Bangers: Cars of the People (w/t) is a celebration of the music, fashion, news and celebrity which are all evoked by the memories, new and old, of our cars.

Tinie said: “Cars are so embedded in pop culture, they’re more than just a mode of transportation they say a bit about who we are. I’m excited to explore the origins of some of the most iconic cars and learn how the industry became so interlinked with the British psyche.  And of course - to drive some serious bangers.” 

Naomi Schiff said: “Having raced from the age of 11, I’ve almost always had my eye on cars, so I can’t wait to dive deeper into what made these cars so iconic - it will be fascinating to take a look at these modern classics. I am also competitive to the core, a fact Tinie knows to expect.” 

Nicole Streak, Channel 4 Commissioning Editor, said: “This series will provide a wonderful dose of nostalgia, mixed with entertainment and fun-fuelled challenges. Everyone has a connection to a car - whether it’s your first car, love of racing, songs you sang with your parents or the fluffy dice dangling from the mirror, it’ll be a trip down memory lane.”

Plum Pictures quote:  “We are delighted to be working with Tinie and Naomi – both are passionate, brilliant and wildly competitive car lovers.  It’s fantastic to see a new generation of UK car owners embracing the cars of the past, and the perfect excuse to delve into the music and style the cars belong to”.

The series is in partnership with eBay. Maria Betés, Head Of Brand Marketing at eBay UK, added: “As the UK’s biggest marketplace for car parts and accessories, we’re big believers in keeping cars on the road for longer both affordably and sustainably. With the help of Tinie, this new show heroes some iconic modern classics, encouraging a new generation of car owners to embrace and celebrate a new lease of life for these wonderful vehicles.”

Bangers (WT) is a co-production between Plum Pictures and Imhotep Productions and was commissioned in partnership with eBay, by Head of Daytime & Features Jo Street & Senior Commissioning Editor Clemency Green. The series will be overseen by Commissioning Editor Nicole Streak, and the partnership with eBay was brokered by EssenceMediacom. The series editor is Paolo Proto, the series director is Abs Abejumo and the Executive Producers are Gill Wilson and Tinie.