[gtron]

Chris Evans to be new Top Gear presenter


http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-33158464



TV and radio personality Chris Evans will replace Jeremy Clarkson as the lead presenter of an all-new Top Gear line-up, the BBC has announced.
Evans said he was "thrilled" to get the job, describing the motoring show as his "favourite programme of all time".
"I promise I will do everything I possibly can to respect what has gone on before and take the show forward," he added.
Clarkson was dropped in March after punching a producer while on location.
Car enthusiast Evans, who has signed a three-year deal with the BBC Two show, had been tipped to replace his good friend Clarkson but had previously insisted he was not interested.
An "all-new" line-up means Clarkson's co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May will not be involved.
The BBC's David Sillito said that while Chris Evans was a household name, Clarkson had a long-running association with Top Gear and his were big shoes to fill.
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Analysis: David Sillito, BBC media and arts correspondent
When Jeremy Clarkson relaunched Top Gear in 2002 it ceased to be a programme about cars; it became a programme about slightly tragic men who loved cars.
The essence was banter, lists and brilliant film-making. The problem is what happens when you lose the blokes.
Chris Evans is one of Britain's most successful broadcasters. He loves cars, he understands how to make television and he's a friend of Jeremy Clarkson. But he ain't Jeremy Clarkson.
Around the World Top Gear has appeared in different forms. The ones that work best have Jeremy Clarkson - even if he has to be dubbed into Farsi.
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"Everything about Top Gear was Clarkson, May and Hammond, primarily Clarkson," he said.
"We have no idea who Evans will be filming the new series with. It could be one presenter, two, a whole team, or it could be a different set of presenters every week."
Top Gear is watched by some 350 million viewers worldwide and is one of the BBC's biggest shows, with overseas sales worth an estimated £50m a year.
'Cheeky unpredictability'
Once the news broke, Evans tweeted: "First tweet as new Top Gear host. I would like to say Jeremy, Richard & James are the greatest. And NO I'm not leaving the R2 Breakfast Show."
And in a statement, he said: "I'm thrilled, Top Gear is my favourite programme of all time.
"Created by a host of brilliant minds who love cars and understand how to make the massively complicated come across as fun, devil-may-care and effortless.
"When in fact of course, it's anything but and that's the genius of Top Gear's global success."
Back in March, Evans had denied that he was taking over the show's presenting duties, tweeting: "I can categorically say I am not and will NEVER be running for office. Pls discount my candidacy."

Controller of BBC Two and BBC Four Kim Shillinglaw said she was "delighted" that Evans would be presenting the next series of Top Gear.
"His knowledge of and passion for cars are well known, and combined with his sheer inventiveness and cheeky unpredictability, he is the perfect choice to take our much-loved show into the future," she said.
"Chris is a huge fan of Top Gear and has great respect for the craft and work ethic of one of the best production teams in the world.
"He knows the phenomenal attention to detail it takes to make a single sequence of Top Gear, let alone a whole series. He is already full of brilliant ideas and I can't wait for him to get started."
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Analysis: Mark Savage - BBC News entertainment reporter
There's a very telling line in Chris Evans' statement: "I promise I will do everything I possibly can to respect what has gone on before and take the show forward."
The 49-year-old is acutely aware of Top Gear's reputation - and the reaction his appointment will provoke.
On paper, he's a perfect replacement for his good friend Jeremy Clarkson. A car nut with a motor mouth and a track record in steering a television juggernaut to success.
But he's also a divisive figure, with many viewers put off by the unruly, egotistical behaviour of his tabloid years.
Evans even admitted there was a "50/50 split" among Top Gear fans over whether his involvement was a good idea.
However, he added: "In TV or radio, if you get a 50/50 love/hate reaction that usually equals massive hit."
Only time will tell.
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Production on the new series of Top Gear will start in the next few weeks and the BBC said more information would be announced in due course.
Jeremy Clarkson was suspended, then dropped, by the BBC in March following a "fracas" with a producer at a hotel.
His final appearance on Top Gear will be shown on 28 June. The episode will be made up of two films shot before Clarkson was suspended, with Hammond and May presenting links from the studio.
Viewers will see Clarkson, Hammond and May behind the wheel of classic cars and beaten-up 4x4s in their final challenges as a trio.

[F30lolz]

I wonder what the Stig has to say about this.

[fecurtis]

When I first read the headline elsewhere I thought they were referring to the Captain America Chris Evans.

[ASBSECU E93]

...this will be a train wreck...

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by F30lolz

I wonder what the Stig has to say about this.

The Stig never said something !

[einbruch10]

Should be chris harris....

[ShopVac]

Got a dollar that the existing 3 hosts end up on Velocity, Hulu, Netflix or something of the sort.

I'm thinking kind of like Howard Stern to Sirius.

[w0ady]

Show is dead. Just like what happened to 2 and 1/2 Men after Charlie Sheen left. Now the Netflix version with the original 3 should be interesting!

[einbruch10]

I did see something, albeit probably not legit that clarkson was going to netflix.

[Mirko]

I'll watch this one as much as I watch USA Top Gear ... .. lol

Looking forward to the Netflix show with the three stooges.

[MightyMouseTech]

But can he throw a punch?

I know this is a good opportunity for Chris Evans, but the show is dead. Period.

[Kwando]

It annoys me that at first he said he wasn't interested at being involved with the show and now he comes out as the new host. So much for integrity.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by Kwando

It annoys me that at first he said he wasn't interested at being involved with the show and now he comes out as the new host. So much for integrity.

How is he loosing integrity? He was not interested before, buckets of money can make it more interesting no?

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by Kwando

It annoys me that at first he said he wasn't interested at being involved with the show and now he comes out as the new host. So much for integrity.

Why would that ever annoy you? He would have been a dummy to express interest. When the Clarkson fiasco ended with his firing, anyone who would have said "I'll take his job!" would have been eviscerated. It has absolutely nothing to do with integrity.

[Supra2k6]

idk why "everybody" dickrides Jeremy Clarkson honestly i'm not a fan of the show but anybody is replaceable. From his history he seems like a self absorbed asshole, i don't care how good you are if you punch your boss (superior) in any field of work your going to be terminated. I'm sure he'll end up in velocity or another network which is good for him but seriously people don't encourage stupidity.

[chris82]

I enjoyed the show but some of the newer episodes felt scripted, and some of the car reviews Clarkson did were just so fuckin' useless that it got annoying. I'd rather watch Fifth Gear for actual reviews, but Top Gear is more entertaining. If Chris Evans can properly review a car, which we will all soon find out, I'll watch the show

[MightyMouseTech]

The show WAS Jeremy Clarkson. It will still be show when they take it somewhere else, if not in name, then in spirit.

[eric@helix]

Originally Posted by einbruch10

Should be chris harris....

^This^.

Harris is too savvy to do Top Gear. BBC should scrap the show and launch another concept with Harris as its lead.

[davis449]

Originally Posted by eric@helix

^This^.

Harris is too savvy to do Top Gear. BBC should scrap the show and launch another concept with Harris as its lead.

I would agree with either scenario. He has enough charisma with the right supporting co-hosts to pull it off, initially, and could develop enough to actually carry it. IDGAF how many Ferraris this new guy owns nor how famous his radio show is in the UK\Europe, I truly don't believe he will be able to carry it to the global audience like the former trio did. I don't even know if I'll give it a shot. Top Gear is pretty much dead now. I watched DRIVE on NBCSN for the first time this weekend and the only criticism I had was that the show felt like it wasn't long enough for them to actually have content. It was disjointed (not their fault). It's like it's almost there, but not quite. I think in Top Gear time length, it could work.

[954Stealth]

I can't believe there's a new host

Not that there's anything wrong with that! (Seinfeld anyone?)

[antych]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

The show WAS Jeremy Clarkson. It will still be show when they take it somewhere else, if not in name, then in spirit.

This show has been around for decades, long before Clarkson and will continue regardless. I always liked it, but to be honest, I got bored of those clowns fooling around. I liked it better when Clarkson used to run it with Tiff Needell.

[Revartr]

After Clarkson and the gang left, all interest I had in the show left as well. I watched it from time to time (not enough to be considered a dedicated viewer), but I definitely enjoyed the shenanigans they got into. I'm hoping Netflix picks them up.