'Top Gear' stalls as ratings plummet; host Evans quits

[webfact]

'Top Gear' stalls as ratings plummet; host Evans quits
ADELA SULIMAN, Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — "Top Gear" host Chris Evans announced Monday that he's quitting the BBC's flagship car show after just one series.

Evans, 50, who also hosts a popular BBC radio breakfast show, told his 2.31 million Twitter followers: "Stepping down from Top Gear. Gave it my best shot but sometimes that's not enough. The team are beyond brilliant, I wish them all the best."

The adrenaline-fueled car show has struggled to draw a big audience since it was relaunched in May, hosted by Evans and former "Friends" star Matt LeBlanc.

The revamped show attracted just 1.9 million viewers to its season finale on Sunday, down from 5.8 million viewers when outspoken trio Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May were at the helm.

Mark Linsey, director of BBC Studios, says Evans believes that the remaining producing and presenting team will be able to "take the show forward and make it the hit we want it to be."

It's not yet known whether LeBlanc will stay on for a second series of the show.

Evans and LeBlanc were joined by a string of celebrities throughout the series, including actor "Grey's Anatomy" star Patrick Dempsey and "Absolutely Fabulous" creator Jennifer Saunders. The high-profile guests failed to boost audience ratings.

The rebooted show launched with high hopes of 4.4 million viewers but quickly halved, plummeting to around 2 million viewers for the remainder of the season.

The departure of Evans means more intense scrutiny for a program that has become more than a TV show in Britain. The fine-tuned formula of blokey banter, consumer advice and automotive stunts has made the show a cultural touchstone for car fans.

The BBC claims it is watched by 350 million people around the world.

Clarkson and his fellow presenters left last year after an off-set dustup in which Clarkson punched a producer. The trio will host a new car show, "The Grand Tour," on Amazon Prime this autumn.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-07-05

[kotsak]

[canuckamuck]

I saw this first episode, I was stunned at how inappropriate Evans was as Clarkson's replacement. Apparently he is famous in Britain for something. but he came across as a fashion gossip columnist masquerading as a man who knows cars. It was obviously an attempt to PC up a show whose success was largely from mocking PC attitudes.

I felt sorry for Matt, he is a good guy, but he seemed lost in the emasculated format of the new Top Gear.

Edited July 4, 2016 by canuckamuck

[casualbiker]

Thank goodness....

[giddyup]

Of course LeBlanc will stay on, he's not exactly getting flooded with offers these days.

[casualbiker]

Of course LeBlanc will stay on, he's not exactly getting flooded with offers these days.

He was actually the best presenter on the show.. and I know that's not saying a lot!!!

[Kasset Tak]

I thought that the US version of Top Gear was a "little bit" crappy but then I saw what they did with the "original" after kicking out Clarkson...

Edited July 5, 2016 by Kasset Tak

[canopus1969]

Of course LeBlanc will stay on, he's not exactly getting flooded with offers these days.

He was actually the best presenter on the show.. and I know that's not saying a lot!!!

Nonsense - Chris Harris

[soalbundy]

couldn't have worked, he has gingerites

[casualbiker]

Of course LeBlanc will stay on, he's not exactly getting flooded with offers these days.

He was actually the best presenter on the show.. and I know that's not saying a lot!!!

Nonsense - Chris Harris

whose he. The one that just told us the car specifications!

[MissAndry]

Watched 1/2 an episode.

The one where they had 3,000gbp to drive to Venice.

They bought a Jag XJS (2,500gbp) , Audi Quattro (2,700gbp) and a Honda Goldwing.

Then totally lost the plot and started a cooking competition, and completely forgot about driving and their vehicles.

I turned off, if I had wanted a cooking show, I would have watched Ramsey's Kitchen.

The problem with the show was not the presenters, but the lack of focus and direction by the production team.

It doesn't matter who presents the show, it will fail because the production team has it wrong.

As for who is Chris Evans?

Self made multi-millionaire, former husband of Billie Piper, and TV and radio presenter (former owner of Virgin Radio).

Edited July 5, 2016 by MissAndry

[elwood]

Of course LeBlanc will stay on, he's not exactly getting flooded with offers these days.

Well, actually, he is filming the 5th season of Episodes this year, so he doesn't need offers.

[northernphil]

I can't comment on the show as never seen one episode . What made TG great was the input from the 3 characters . Even before any car was mentioned you were smiling because JC , JM and RH had charisma , they made the show not the cars. Just look at other stuff the 3 are doing , all 3 have gr8 personalities.

[Nasrullah]

clarkson was nothing but an over the top child!!............how it got the ratings it got is an indictment on TV these days....

but it doesn't take much to entertain a dumbed down society...

[dick dasterdly]

I can't comment on the show as never seen one episode . What made TG great was the input from the 3 characters . Even before any car was mentioned you were smiling because JC , JM and RH had charisma , they made the show not the cars. Just look at other stuff the 3 are doing , all 3 have gr8 personalities.

All three had great personalities - when combined - not so much on their own.

I enjoyed 'old' TG, but too much had become scripted. A shame, as the scripted jokes were unnecessary - the genuine banter was far better.

[Bunnychow]

clarkson was nothing but an over the top child!!............how it got the ratings it got is an indictment on TV these days....

but it doesn't take much to entertain a dumbed down society...

"These days" LOL Clarkson/Hammond/May took over Top Gear in 2002, 22 series and average viewership of 5 million people per week, and was one of the BBC biggests sellers worldwide Edited July 5, 2016 by Bunnychow

[sanukjim]

He was crap anyway

[canuckamuck]

clarkson was nothing but an over the top child!!............how it got the ratings it got is an indictment on TV these days....

but it doesn't take much to entertain a dumbed down society...

Apparently it takes something. BBC's best minds gave it their best shot and yet the show is a turd,

[trainman34014]

They should scrap the whole idea as it will never be the same again as it was in its heyday. Surely in the 21st Century there should be enough brains in the TV world to come up with a completely new format.

[dick dasterdly]

They should scrap the whole idea as it will never be the same again as it was in its heyday. Surely in the 21st Century there should be enough brains in the TV world to come up with a completely new format.

Another cookery show?

[farcanell]

Can only " like" it once, but I can repost it!

[lvr181]

A lesson in how to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory!

[Doc46]

clarkson was nothing but an over the top child!!............how it got the ratings it got is an indictment on TV these days....

but it doesn't take much to entertain a dumbed down society...

Well now ,that doesn't say much about you than,does it ?

[Nasrullah]

^.......all it says is that i never cared much for the show...........but i'm obviously in the minority...

[dick dasterdly]

A lesson in how to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory!

To be fair, the BBC had no choice other than to sack Clarkson after he'd assaulted a production crew member.

[soalbundy]

I don't know how it is with the rest of you but i automatically dislike anybody with ginger hair, i disliked him from his photograph alone.

[dick dasterdly]

I don't know how it is with the rest of you but i automatically dislike anybody with ginger hair, i disliked him from his photograph alone.

Weirdly, I for one, disliked his previous shows. Why on earth would anyone be bothered about the colour of his hair??

I feel sorry for you being bothered by something like this.

[soalbundy]

I don't know how it is with the rest of you but i automatically dislike anybody with ginger hair, i disliked him from his photograph alone.

Weirdly, I for one, disliked his previous shows. Why on earth would anyone be bothered about the colour of his hair??

I feel sorry for you being bothered by something like this.

just the way it is, some people,me for instance,,,,again, don't like tomato sauce

[dick dasterdly]

I don't know how it is with the rest of you but i automatically dislike anybody with ginger hair, i disliked him from his photograph alone.

Weirdly, I for one, disliked his previous shows. Why on earth would anyone be bothered about the colour of his hair??

I feel sorry for you being bothered by something like this.

just the way it is, some people,me for instance,,,,again, don't like tomato sauce

That's one hell of a lot different to disliking people with ginger hair!

Time for you to get over this.

[Rancid]

clarkson was nothing but an over the top child!!............how it got the ratings it got is an indictment on TV these days....

but it doesn't take much to entertain a dumbed down society...

You are quite right in many respects about TV and dumbed down populations, the only way Top Gear differed is that it was not politically correct. Perhaps a population bored by anonymous bureaucrats telling us what we are allowed to say and do liked PC being given the finger.