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Top Gear Host Chris Evans Steps Down After Poor Ratings (theverge.com)
A number of readers have submitted news coming out of popular show Top Gear. Chris Evans has announced he is leaving his role as a presenter on BBC Two's Top Gear after one series. His resignation comes amid falling ratings for the show -- which hit a series low on Sunday night, with an average of 1.9 million viewers. The Verge reports:Evans was brought in alongside Matt LeBlanc and host of other new faces to fill the positions left by Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond. The first series of the show had poor ratings, with fewer than 2 million viewers tuning into its series finale this weekend -- lower than any episode helmed by Clarkson.
Chris Evans was cocky 5 weeks ago that he had massive viewers and was quoting FACT FACT FACT on twitter, now it's a FACT he was so crap he has shut the door and turn the lights off and gone home with his tail between his legs FACT
Matt Le Blanc isn't a bad host but they really need someone dry and British. Eventually they're going to run out of jokes about him being American.
Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
Firing him wasn't an excuse, he punched a co-worker. They had to fire him at that point. That said, I am a fan of him but had no idea he would get physical with anyone.
Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
Now, a reasonable staff member would punch back, and the issue wouldn't exist in the first place.
The other problem they have is that the old show hasn't stopped. It has simply moved to a new channel where it will get an even bigger budget.
Unless Clarkson and co really stuff up, it is hard to see how their *new* show won't be at least as popular as their old gig. With Amazon's budget, a break, a license to try some fresh stuff, and in some ways even, a 'don't care, nothing to prove' attitude, they will probably be pretty successful at keeping the franchise alive with its previous viewers. Whether they can broaden that base to the US market is another question, and probably the bigger challenge.
Personally I'm happy Evans has gone. I hadn't heard of him before the show was announced, but he just came across as a wannabee Clarkson with an extremely irritating voice (seriously, I would never have believed his job was in radio if I hadn't read it myself). Perhaps he does have an interesting personality, but I didn't see it on the show. Matt Leblanc seems to have been an inspired choice though. It will be interesting to see whether he gets the show traction in the US.
And yet, Jimmy Savile spent half a century raping his way through nearly 600 children while the Beeb's management feigned ignorance of his depredations.
I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
^^^^ that's what we did in my time. You fist fight and live to fight another day. After it was over, you shook hands. We had a mutual respect after that.
Now a days you can't do that. My son got into a fight at school. We had to go to court. Yes real court. For a simple shoving match.
The world is fucked.
Yes he was bloodied and dizzy and had to go to hospital. And no they didn't have a drink afterwards. There's no workplace where it's acceptable to punch a colleague other than the boxing ring.