Perry McCarthy, who portrayed Top Gear’s The Stig in the first two series of the BBC Two show, has said he expected Chris Evans to quit after constant criticism. He wished the show well, describing the production team’s efforts as “beyond brilliant”.
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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”.
Actor Matt LeBlanc poses for a portrait in Los Angeles, California, December 18, 2013.
The show’s old presenters will present a new motoring show called The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime due to air towards the end of the year.
Overall, the show has failed to reach the viewing figures of the last series with Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May at the helm. The 23rd season of Top Gear hasn’t been able to garner the viewership stats of the earlier show. No news yet as to whether LeBlanc will continue on as host of next season.
The rebooted Top Gear launched over a bank holiday weekend with 4.4 million overnight viewers, but then plummeted to 2.8 million for the second episode.
Evans’ decision to resign came amid widespread reports that Scotland Yard has received an allegation of sexual assault against the presenter dating back to the 1990s. The fine-tuned formula of blokey banter, consumer advice and automotive stunts has made the show a cultural touchstone for auto fans.
Former Top Gear host Chris Evans’ presenting style left some fans cold.
“Chris is stepping down from his duties on Top Gear”, said Mark Linsey, Director at BBC Studios for Top Gear. The latest series finished on a ratings low this Sunday, and after falling numbers throughout the new series, Evans made the announcement.
After the exit of Chris Evans, the remaining five presenters, namely Matt Le Blanc, Rory Reid, Chris Harris, Sabine Schmitz and Eddie Jordan will continue to be in place for the 24 season and will start filming for it from September.
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And by the looks of things, fans are pretty happy to see Evans leave the show.
