#silvia jurin

[thehamsterscagecouk]

The Grand Tour's Croatian Finish Line Girl Doesn't Own A Cat - Exclusive

2017 was a great year for many reasons, not least of which was the arrival of the second season of The Grand Tour. In Episode 4, which dropped on Amazon Prime Video on 29 December, the boys decided to address perhaps the most frequently and harshly spoken criticism of Season 1: scripted-ness. Aptly titled ‘Unscripted’, the episode’s main film saw the trio head to Croatia to demonstrate what unscripted TV actually looks like by not doing any preparation whatsoever.

The intrinsic irony, of course, is that this was probably among the most intensely scripted films of the entire season, given James’s random insistence on reinventing the wheel by reinventing the fire engine and the perfectly timed appearance of an exquisite rally track on which Jeremy and Richard could race their respective cars. This isn’t a criticism, of course; it silenced the critics and produced an immensely entertaining segment, thus felling two media birds with one automotive stone.

One particularly excellent (and in no way unscripted) scene saw Jeremy’s Audi TT and Richard’s Ariel Nomad pull up for a drag race and immediately realise that they needed someone to wave the starting flag. Clarkson suggested that they recruit ‘a local person' to perform this simple task. Then, a producer hopped into a time machine and travelled a few weeks into the past, scoured the Internet for Croatian models and contacted Silvija Jurin, before jumping back to the present day and escorting her to the track. Presumably.

Silvija Jurin is a marketing expert by day and a model by night. She resides in the Croatian city of Zadar, and in her twelve years of modelling work she has starred in several commercials and advertising campaigns and done much fashion work, in addition to a spell as a local television host. She was contacted by the Grand Tour production team in advance of the filming and she is undoubtedly one of the tragically unsung stars of The Grand Tour.

Initially, she was installed as the start line for the race, responsible for the countdown and the waving of the flag. Once the Hamster and the Orang-utan realised that that was never going to work, for obvious reasons, she was transferred to the finish line and the start line was staffed thereafter by another incredibly talented on-screen personality, namely The Grand Tour’s Sound Supervisor, Russell Edwards.

Having irritated Hammond with her obvious Clarksonian bias (can we blame her?) she is escorted off in the ape's Audi to feed her cat. Or is she? If only it were that simple. In a world exclusive that will surely take the entire automotive and televisual industries by storm and upend countless long-established institutions, Shifting Lanes can reveal that Silvija Jurin does not own a cat.

Clarkson responded with shocking indifference when confronted with the troubling revelation

I know what you're thinking. And you're right – when Silvija had hopped into Clarkson's Audi, he did indeed say that she needed to ‘go and feed her cat'. However, crucially, Silvija herself said only that she had to feed her ‘pet'. As it turns out, Silvija is a dog lover and owns a black Labrador called Dot.

Silvija and Dot

Fear not, for Shifting Lanes shall unashamedly reveal that which W. Chump & Sons and Amazon Prime Video were unwilling or unable to. As well as the hidden truth about domesticated animals in her possession, this tell-all interview sees Silvija discuss her favourite cars, what she really thinks of Jeremy Clarkson, what it’s like meeting James May, and more. Read on.

HAD YOU DONE ANY TV WORK BEFORE THE GRAND TOUR?

In my twelve years working as a model, I've done a lot of TV work, including several commercials. For a while, I worked as a local television host on a series about the Špancirfest festival in 2013 in the city of Varaždin. This is a very famous festival which provides a special experience of the continental part of Croatia. It’s definitely worth putting on your to-do list for when you visit Croatia! I’ve also shot promotional videos for the Tourist Board in my home city of Zadar. So, yes! I’m never far from TV work and shootings, and I love it. The camera also loves me, so the love goes both ways.

HAD YOU WATCHED THE GRAND TOUR BEFORE THEY CONTACTED YOU?

Of course!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT IT? WHAT DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO IN IT?

I like their humour – whatever you do, please don’t stop making jokes! And I have to admit that when I was filming with them I was subconsciously watching the whole production, which was unbelievable. Your skin is burning.

HOW DID THE GRAND TOUR GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU?

They have a good nose for making stories, and I was very lucky. They were looking for a local model, I sent them two photos and they called me back in less than an hour to tell me I’d got the job. It happened so quickly.

WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN THE GRAND TOUR CONTACTED YOU?

I was very happy, but I didn’t really have time to think about it at that point. I just had to go with the flow.

DID JAMES MAY SAY ‘HELLO’ VERY POLITELY WHEN HE MET YOU?

Yes, like a very polite gentleman.

WHAT IS IT LIKE WORKING ON THE SET OF THE GRAND TOUR?

We’re all professionals, so working with them is easy-going. All shootings are interesting in their own right because they each produce unique stories. This shooting was interesting, honourable and unforgettable.

WHAT DID YOU AND JEREMY GET UP TO OFF-CAMERA?

There isn’t much free time off-camera. Everyone came to Croatia to do serious stuff, to produce a quality recording, so most of the time we were just doing our jobs. Especially Jeremy.

WHICH CAR DID YOU PREFER – JEREMY’S AUDI TT OR RICHARD’S ARIEL NOMAD?

If I had an Ariel Nomad I would crash it very quickly, because it’s the kind of car that begs me to drive it on mountains and unpaved roads. So Jeremy’s Audi TT would be much better for me. And the blue paint goes well with my green eyes.

“Whatever you do, please don't stop making jokes!”

WHAT DO YOU DRIVE?

An Opel Corsa 1.6. It’s amazing how it never needs repairing. Everything in my car is manual so I never take it to the garage. I dare to fix some tiny things myself, like the radio, windows and wipers. I don��t touch the engine but I know how to change the oil and tyres, and even get a car with a dead battery going again. Not bad for a woman!

WHAT KINDS OF CARS DO YOU GENERALLY LIKE?

I don’t like low-sitting cars because I’m tall and it’s hard to get into them, so Jaguars aren’t perfect for me, haha! I like Jeeps, big cars that are strong on road safety. The last one I was in was a Toyota CHR. That’s a nice car.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CAR?

My favourite car is my Opel, the one I drive all the time. I’m happy with it because it’s completely functional. But, if I had to name another, I’d say the Rimac C_Two. Because it’s Croatian and it looks amazing. It’s so sexy and powerful.

“The rimac c_two is so sexy and powerful”

WHEN VISITING CROATIA, WHERE SHOULD YOU GO AND WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

That is a tricky question because there are so many different experiences Croatia can give you, but I’ll do my best. If you don’t care about costs and you’re a Game of Thrones fan, you should definitely visit Dubrovnik (the main filming location for King’s Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms in the show). It is one of the most powerful cities I’ve visited, and I’ve travelled a lot. I'd suggest Zadar, my hometown, for people who like to go out and be active in nature, as there are many natural parks and other beauties in the area. There are undiscovered coves and sea peaks on the island of Dugi Otok, there are thousands of beautiful islands in the Kornati National Park, Plitvice Lakes has many waterfalls, Paklenica National Park has endless peaks and climbing rocks, and Vranjsko Jezero National Park is a bird reserve where over 250 species live. Your knees will sneeze from the natural beauty at these places.

If you like big cities, Zagreb (the capital) is the only choice. A quarter of the Croatian population lives there so you’ll meet a lot of people and find plenty of branded shops and other usual big city attractions. It is a very lively city. If you’re more romantically-inclined, you must visit the city of Varaždin. It’s a baroque city, a bicycle town and a city of flowers, with a unique atmosphere and very charming vintage-style streets. For those who’d rather party through the night, there’s Zrče Beach in the city of Novalja, near Pag. There are very famous parties twenty-four hours a day, all throughout summer. And finally, don’t forget to visit Vukovar. It’s the only place in Croatia where you can really experience some history. The remnants of past days are still there to be seen today, creating an unforgettable experience.

“What am i supposed to do? is this ok? who knows!”

“it's like having sex all the time but never having experienced orgasm”

Croatia is full of history and stories. Wherever you decide to visit, you will be gladly welcomed by all Croatians, and you will be offered whatever local delicacies are available. And we do like to eat and drink well. You should try a Croatian ham called pršut, or the meat of young lambs that eat salty grass all year long. It is too good to describe.

WHAT IS THE MOST AMUSING THING TO HAPPEN TO YOU IN THE COMPANY OF PETROLHEADS?

The most amusing thing was to be there, on the set of The Grand Tour, participating in a completely unscripted film. I was relaxed and independent, but I didn’t understand what was going on. What am I supposed to do? Is this OK? Who knows! But somehow, it all came together perfectly. As if I knew what I was doing, haha! It was very funny, wasn’t it? So, perhaps I naturally belong on The Grand Tour team!

DO PEOPLE ALWAYS TRY TO SHOW OFF TO YOU AND END UP EMBARRASSING THEMSELVES?

Well, that’s not what Croatian people do. We all love ourselves so we don’t need to show off to anyone.

HOW HARD WAS IT TO PRETEND TO LIKE CLARKSON SO MUCH FOR THAT AMOUNT OF TIME?

Who said I was pretending? I always say that everyone should do everything with genuine passion, whatever life gives you. If you're not emotionally invested in what you're doing, you are just wasting your life. It's like having sex all the time but never having experienced orgasm. It's very sad. That's why, honestly, you should enjoy everything you do. Or don't do it.

WHO DO YOU LIKE BEST OUT OF JEREMY, RICHARD AND JAMES?

They taught me that there aren’t any stupid questions, just stupid answers, so I’d say that I like them all equally. Each has their own attractive qualities. One is mysterious, the other is ridiculous and the third is hardworking.

WHO CHOSE YOUR WARDROBE FOR THE FILMING? DID YOU PICK YOUR OWN CLOTHES?

Yes, I chose my own outfits. They were the best I could find at the time.

WOULD YOU RATHER FIGHT ONE HORSE-SIZED DUCK OR A HUNDRED DUCK-SIZED HORSES?

That's a question that requires a lot of thought. I think I'd rather choose one horse-sized duck. A hundred horses mean a hundred problems.

WERE YOU SUCCESSFUL IN FEEDING YOUR CAT?

“Perhaps i naturally belong on the grand tour team”

I hate to break the myth of the cat but according to my personality, I have to be honest. Perception can be fucked up, it can distort reality so often people see and hear what they want to. So, now you finally know: I don't have a cat. I only said ‘pet'! I'm a dog-lover. I have a black Labrador. Her name is Točka, which means Dot.

“Perception can be fucked up”

WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK WITH THE GRAND TOUR TEAM AGAIN?

I’d love to!

“I never have a plan, just an idea”

DO YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE PLANS TO WORK WITH THE GRAND TOUR AGAIN?

I never have a plan, just an idea.

Images credited to Amazon Prime Video and Silvija Jurin (via Instagram @silvijajurin). Amazon Prime members can watch Seasons 1 and 2 of The Grand Tour at PrimeVideo.com/GT.

Interview by Jason Reed  

[thehamsterscagecouk]

[thehamsterscagecouk]

  💃🙎