Matt LeBlanc quits Top Gear after three series

[snoop1130]

Matt LeBlanc quits Top Gear after three series

BY SAM WARNER

 

 

Matt LeBlanc is quitting as host of Top Gear, the BBC has announced.

 

The former Friends and Episodes star, who has presented the series since 2016, said it had been "great fun", but that the "time commitment and extensive travel... takes me away from my family and friends more than I'm comfortable with".

 

He added: "It's unfortunate, but for these reasons I will not be continuing my involvement with the show. I will forever be a Top Gear fan and I wish the team continued success. Thanks for a great drive."

 

BBC Two controller Patrick Holland said: "I want to thank the fabulous Matt LeBlanc for being a brilliant co-host on Top Gear.

 

Full Story: http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/top-gear/news/a858442/matt-leblanc-quits-top-gear-bbc/

[KittenKong]

Never liked him, though he wasnt anywhere near as bad as that ridiculous carrot-top Evans who preceded him.

Cant the BBC find a Brit with a brain to do this rather than use moronic radio presenters and non-entities from the USA, all masquerading as "celebrities"?

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, KittenKong said:

Never liked him, though he wasnt anywhere near as bad as that ridiculous carrot-top Evans who preceded him.

Cant the BBC find a Brit with a brain to do this rather than use moronic radio presenters and non-entities from the USA, all masquerading as "celebrities"?

Why don't you apply?

[vogie]

How can anyone follow Clarkson, May and Hammond, as May said about Clarkson, he's a nob head, but he's a nice nob head, or words of that description.

The new lot seem like a bunch of amateurs.

[KittenKong]

Why don't you apply?

I'm not a petrol head.

I used to like watching the long "trip" specials that the old team did - mostly for the scenery and the banter and the general entertainment factor as mentioned - but I was much less interested in the discussions about cars.

[NanLaew]

7 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

I'm not a petrol head.

I used to like watching the long "trip" specials that the old team did - mostly for the scenery and the banter and the general entertainment factor as mentioned - but I was much less interested in the discussions about cars.

The whole Top Gear didn't feature much on my radar either but the few shows that were recognized as good entertainment like their epic Vietnam on 2-wheels were pure gold. Some of their other, more contrived shenanigans less so.

 

As for "Mr Shouty", he's another reason why I don't listen to Radio 2 at breakfast time any more.

[chickenslegs]

I wonder if the BBC would be bold enough to offer the job to Jodie Kidd. I'd start watching again.

[Quidio]

6 hours ago, KittenKong said:

Never liked him, though he wasnt anywhere near as bad as that ridiculous carrot-top Evans who preceded him.

Cant the BBC find a Brit with a brain to do this rather than use moronic radio presenters and non-entities from the USA, all masquerading as "celebrities"?

"Can't the BBC find a Brit with a brain..."?   

[NanLaew]

7 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

I wonder if the BBC would be bold enough to offer the job to Jodie Kidd. I'd start watching again.

Not knowing who you are talking about, a quick google revealed (among other things) "Oct 14, 2017 - Jodie Kidd flaunts her athletic physique in a black swimsuit as she struts around the beach and takes to a jet ski on holiday in Barbados."

 

Sid the Sexist would approve.

[Fat Prophet]

Jeremy Clarkson was "Top Gear" and "Top Gear" was Jeremy Clarkson. When Clarkson left, Top Gear ended--full stop. And the answer to the earlier question "Cant (sic) the BBC find a Brit with a brain to do this..." is probably "no", and the Brits wouldn't watch it if they did. If the BBC wants to give the show a place in "British entertainment", they should replace LeBlanc with Rowan Atkinson (aka "Mr. Bean") or Piers Morgan and rename the show "Low Gear" or "Rear Gear" (or "Gear in the Rear" -- take your pick), and press some political agenda like environmentally friendly vehicles ("Tesla Tonight") or higher congestion taxes to force people out of cars and into mass transit ("Take the bus and leave the driving to us") or how BREXIT will affect the cars of the future in the UK ("German cars to vanish from UK roads thanks to BREXIT"). I won't miss LaBlanc, but I do miss Clarkson (aka "Top Gear"). 

[giddyup]

20 minutes ago, Fat Prophet said:

Jeremy Clarkson was "Top Gear" and "Top Gear" was Jeremy Clarkson. When Clarkson left, Top Gear ended--full stop. And the answer to the earlier question "Cant (sic) the BBC find a Brit with a brain to do this..." is probably "no", and the Brits wouldn't watch it if they did. If the BBC wants to give the show a place in "British entertainment", they should replace LeBlanc with Rowan Atkinson (aka "Mr. Bean") or Piers Morgan and rename the show "Low Gear" or "Rear Gear" (or "Gear in the Rear" -- take your pick), and press some political agenda like environmentally friendly vehicles ("Tesla Tonight") or higher congestion taxes to force people out of cars and into mass transit ("Take the bus and leave the driving to us") or how BREXIT will affect the cars of the future in the UK ("German cars to vanish from UK roads thanks to BREXIT"). I won't miss LaBlanc, but I do miss Clarkson (aka "Top Gear"). 

You can still get your Clarkson, May and Hammond fix with the Grand Tour series. Just as good as the old Top Gear IMO.

[KittenKong]

"Can't the BBC find a Brit with a brain..."?

Probably better to leave the odd apostrophe out than to use them in every plural as so often happens these days.

If there wasn't a rarely-used English word meaning "hypocritical and sanctimonious talk" then my spell-checker would do the necessary for me with "can't", but I cant (sic) always be bothered to rectify it myself.

It's all pearls before swine anyway.

[NanLaew]

48 minutes ago, Fat Prophet said:

Jeremy Clarkson was "Top Gear" and "Top Gear" was Jeremy Clarkson. When Clarkson left, Top Gear ended--full stop. And the answer to the earlier question "Cant (sic) the BBC find a Brit with a brain to do this..." is probably "no", and the Brits wouldn't watch it if they did. If the BBC wants to give the show a place in "British entertainment", they should replace LeBlanc with Rowan Atkinson (aka "Mr. Bean") or Piers Morgan and rename the show "Low Gear" or "Rear Gear" (or "Gear in the Rear" -- take your pick), and press some political agenda like environmentally friendly vehicles ("Tesla Tonight") or higher congestion taxes to force people out of cars and into mass transit ("Take the bus and leave the driving to us") or how BREXIT will affect the cars of the future in the UK ("German cars to vanish from UK roads thanks to BREXIT"). I won't miss LaBlanc, but I do miss Clarkson (aka "Top Gear"). 

And thus the link between dinosaurs, fossil fuels and the internal combustion engine is affirmed.

[KittenKong]

And the answer to the earlier question "Cant (sic) the BBC find a Brit with a brain to do this..." is probably "no", and the Brits wouldn't watch it if they did. If the BBC wants to give the show a place in "British entertainment", they should replace LeBlanc with Rowan Atkinson (aka "Mr. Bean") or Piers Morgan and rename the show "Low Gear" or "Rear Gear" (or "Gear in the Rear" -- take your pick),

I would watch Atkinson doing it. He would certainly be miles better than carrot-top or Le Blanc. Piers Morgan I would only watch if he was on a gibbet.

But surely it can't be so hard to find three relatively unknown people who have a sense of humour and a bit of wit to do it? All part of the dumbing down trend I suppose. More and more vacuous celebrities and less and less content.

Ant and Dec would have been worth trying, at least until a couple of months ago.

[scorecard]

13 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

I would watch Atkinson doing it. He would certainly be miles better than carrot-top or Le Blanc. Piers Morgan I would only watch if he was on a gibbet.

But surely it can't be so hard to find three relatively unknown people who have a sense of humour and a bit of wit to do it? All part of the dumbing down trend I suppose. More and more vacuous celebrities and less and less content.

Ant and Dec would have been worth trying, at least until a couple of months ago.

 

On a gibbet?

[NanLaew]

2 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

On a gibbet?

Gallows humour?

[Fat Prophet]

 

40 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

Probably better to leave the odd apostrophe out than to use them in every plural as so often happens these days.
......
It's all pearls before swine anyway.

I hope that you realise that the "(sic)" was included in the quote in my post as light humour, in the same vain as the rest of my post. Grammar and punctuation in accord with the rules of the King's English are not a requirement here, and generally one's posts pass with flying colours if they are intelligible with careful reading. I thought that the quote was "pearls on a pig", but I checked and, indeed, "pearls before swine" is the correct quote from the Bible (Matthew 7:6 "Do not ...cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet"); not a book that I spend much time with since leaving my parents' home (no surprise, I expect). However, I like "pearls on a pig" better, which is perhaps why I find very little to be humorous about British "humour". Seriously, watching Mr. Bean for 1 of 2 minutes makes me physically sick. 

Edited June 2, 2018 by Fat Prophet
deleted double quote

[geriatrickid]

15 hours ago, KittenKong said:

Never liked him, though he wasnt anywhere near as bad as that ridiculous carrot-top Evans who preceded him.

Cant the BBC find a Brit with a brain to do this rather than use moronic radio presenters and non-entities from the USA, all masquerading as "celebrities"?

The use of the term "carrot top" is nasty.. So what if he had orangey coloured hair. (It is mostly white anyway.)   If you referred to a  person with short kinky hair as having a brillo pad afro, you would be condemned as a bigot. 

 

The reason why the show was open to hiring a known  "foreigner" is due to the fact that much of the revenue generated by the show is due to sales in foreign markets. Leblanc was a well known  presence  who presented little risk as he  was a low key individual free of scandal.

[bert bloggs]

Did anyone actually watch the show? why watch it when you can watch the real thing with Clarkson and co?

[Fat Prophet]

23 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Gallows humour?

These threads can be educational in a trivial sort of way. But I do agree, at least in an abstract sense, about Piers Morgan -- while he has certainly committed "high crimes and misdemeanors" against the viewing public, I wouldn't go so far as to hang him for them -- permanently banning him from any form of media would probably be enough. And it looks like (I hope that) the media executives agree with me... 

[KittenKong]

But I do agree, at least in an abstract sense, about Piers Morgan -- while he has certainly committed "high crimes and misdemeanors" against the viewing public, I wouldn't go so far as to hang him for them ....

Nor would I. But it is about the only time I would watch him, as I said.

[KittenKong]

I thought that the quote was "pearls on a pig", but I checked and, indeed, "pearls before swine" is the correct quote from the Bible (Matthew 7:6 "Do not ...cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet"); not a book that I spend much time with since leaving my parents' home (no surprise, I expect).

The last time I looked at a Bible I must have been in primary school. But I have a good memory for phrases and lyrics.

Maybe you were thinking of "lipstick on a pig" which has a somewhat different meaning but is a fairly common expression?

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, KittenKong said:

The last time I looked at a Bible I must have been in primary school. But I have a good memory for phrases and lyrics.

Maybe you were thinking of "lipstick on a pig" which has a somewhat different meaning but is a fairly common expression?

pearls before swine

phrase of pearl

 

1. 1.

   valuable things offered or given to people who do not appreciate them.

[GinBoy2]

Well Rosanne Barr is looking for a new gig....she would make a wonderful Clarkson replacement, much more in keeping than LeBlanc, put some 'juice' back into the show

[IAMHERE]

On 6/1/2018 at 6:13 AM, KittenKong said:

Never liked him, though he wasnt anywhere near as bad as that ridiculous carrot-top Evans who preceded him.

Cant the BBC find a Brit with a brain to do this rather than use moronic radio presenters and non-entities from the USA, all masquerading as "celebrities"?

Should be plenty of non-entities from the UK to choose from.

[Lokie]

23 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

I wonder if the BBC would be bold enough to offer the job to Jodie Kidd. I'd start watching again.

BiG +1

 

Jodie Kidd, real petrol head - currently presenting Isle of Man TT Racing show on UK TV and was excellent along with Quentin whats his face on the Classic Car Show...

 

Get Kidd on board and get Clarkson and the other two back on Top Gear (the Beeb lol talk about principles 555) Yes Clarkson is a bit of a Dinosaur but thats why he is good at what he does - no excuse for treating anyone badly though, well not too much...

 

 

[Happy Grumpy]

3 series?

 

Thought the whole thing was canned after about 4 episodes after the boys left.

[Damrongsak]

14 hours ago, Fat Prophet said:

I thought that the quote was "pearls on a pig", but I checked and, indeed, "pearls before swine" is the correct quote from the Bible (Matthew 7:6 "Do not ...cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet"); not a book that I spend much time with since leaving my parents' home (no surprise, I expect). However, I like "pearls on a pig" better...

There's the expression "lipstick on a pig".  Pearls do improve the look.