Top Gear

[Reply #320 on:]

Well out from all the rumours of climb-downs from the BBC and questions over May and Hammond's future, it's now official:

Chris Evans to lead all new line-up for Top Gear

For people not familiar with Chris Evans, as I don't think he's been exported as much as Clarkson has, he presently hosts the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show and formerly was a presenter on a whole range of whacky and spur-of-the-moment shows for Channel 4 including The Big Breakfast and TFI Friday. He's also a massive petrol head and a close friend of Clarkson, though I think his style of presentation will be very different.

Incidentally, TFI Friday was given a special anniversary revival just the other day, in which Chris did a semi-revival of Top Gear, including a short stint with Clarkson with him in a La Ferrari giving him tips on how to make cars sound the most attractive thing...

...

...in the world!

Apart from that, the sketch completely wasn't done in a manner that indicated that Chris would take over the job in a matter of days, so it could be an incredible chain of events that the BBC saw Chris's work on TFI Friday's version of Top Gear and hired him on the spot.

But probably not.

It also strikes me that Chris becoming the main presenter will come with the personal blessing of Jeremy.

That said, I just don't see the new Top Gear being anything like the old Top Gear - or, is that the old new Top Gear? Maybe new Top Gear will be more akin to old old Top Gear, making it new old Top Gear? I also still see a likely breakaway Top Gear on netflix, or whoever wants the services of the old team. But in the meantime, I happened to be watching a James May's Toy Stories episode that I hadn't seen before and I'd personally be very disappointed to not see James May doing things like that any more.

[Reply #321 on:]

I thought you meant Captain America Chris Evans at first, and was a tad puzzled.

[Reply #322 on:]

When Evens was interviewed on Radio Five this morning he confirmed that many of the current features such as the specials will be kept. He also stated that one of his co-presenters will be a woman; but didn't say who.

[Reply #323 on:]

Grand Tour rather than Top Gear but Hammond crashes again! (and survives)

[Reply #324 on:]

It's a nasty habit he needs to get out of: starting to push his luck now. Good thing he was able to get out before the car went up: more bad press for lithium batteries ahead?

[Reply #325 on:]

On the subject of the press - a couple of days ago a newspaper headline read "Hammond sticks knife into May over 'Mistakes'" and my first thought was of how unfortunate that was, because clearly there was some bad blood over the crash or perhaps another dark mark souring the trio.

Mercifully, it was in fact just a reference to our clusterfuck of a national government, so no worries there

[Reply #326 on:]

Thank goodness they aren't running the government.  I think.

[Reply #327 on:]

Though I can't help but think the catchphrase "What could possibly go wrong?" may have been bandied about Downing Street several times too many over the last 18 months...