Chris Evans resigns and puts Top Gear behind him

BREAKING NEWS: Chris Evans resigns from Top Gear, but credits the 'beyond brilliant' team.

Top Gear Chris Evans resigns

Less than 24 hours after the final episode of the current series of Top Gear, Chris Evans has announced he is leaving the show. The news comes after it was revealed that the final episode attracted just 1.9 million viewers, lower than any episode during the Clarkson era of the popular BBC programme.

In tweet, Evans said:

It means that Chris Evans has resigned after just six episodes, leaving Top Gear without its main host. That said, over recent weeks, it has become clear that Matt LeBlanc, Chris Harris and Rory Reid are more than capable of stepping into the shoes of Messrs Clarkson, Hammond and May.

A statement from Mark Linsey, BBC Studios director, said: “Chris is stepping down from his duties on Top Gear. He says he gave it his best shot doing everything he could to make the show a success. He firmly believes that the right people remain, on both the production team and presenting team to take the show forward and make it the hit we want it to be.

“The new series has so far notched up over 30m views in the UK alone and has already been sold to 130 territories worldwide.”

In an official statement, Chris Evans said: “I have never worked with a more committed and driven team than the team I have worked with over the last twelve months. I feel like my standing aside is the best thing I can now do to help the cause.

“I remain a huge fan of the show, always have been, always will be. I will continue to focus on my radio show and the allied events that it encompasses.”

These ‘allied events’ include CarFest and Children in Need. In a second tweet, Chris Evans posted:

Within minutes of Evans posting the tweet, Chris Evans became the top trending topic on Twitter. Meanwhile, you can expect to see former Top Gear presents rolled out for their opinions on the news. Tiff Needell, former racing driver turned TV personality, tweeted:

There’s already speculation surrounding who will replace Chris Evans on Top Gear, although the resignation of Nigel Farage is not said to be linked to now the vacant position.

Related Articles

Motoring Research team
Motoring Research team
News, reviews, advice and features from the award-winning Motoring Resarch editorial team.

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Find a Car Review

Latest

Kia EV9 is World Car of the Year 2024

The Kia EV9 is the latest pure electric car to be named World Car of the Year – and it also scooped the World Electric Vehicle 2024 prize

Salon Privé London to host three days of champagne and supercars

Salon Privé London returns to the Royal Hospital in Chelsea next month, with special celebrations of McLaren and the Porsche 911 Turbo.

How to protect your car with an OBD port locking device

We explain how to prevent your car being stolen by criminals targeting its On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) port.

New Volkswagen ID.Buzz GTX gets 340hp and all-wheel drive

The retro-styled ID. Buzz people carrier is now offered with 340hp, making for an unlikely addition to Volkswagen’s sporty GTX range.