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Top Gear Host Chris Evans Steps Down After Poor Ratings (theverge.com)

Posted by msmash on from the in-other-news dept.

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.

6 of 251 comments (clear)

  1. It is not like it was not expected... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I mean the moment they announced the guy, almost everybody said he was a really bad choice. It is not only that he doesn't really know about cars, most important is the fact that nobody outside Britain finds him funny (we are talking about a show that is sold to many countries), and even the British are rather divided on this. Hiring Matt LeBlanc was a last-ditch effort, but I guess it was too little too late. Perhaps Rowan Atkinson might be persuaded to give it a go next year?

    1. Re:It is not like it was not expected... by hyades1 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      If I had mod points, I'd give you one. I suspect not many people here know that Rowan Atkinson is a hard-core car fanatic who knows his subject.

      If they managed to sign him up, I'd certainly start watching again.

      --
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  2. PC BS by megalomaniacs4u · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What the BBC forgot - Clarkson/May/Hammond Top Gear was basically Last of the Summer Wine with Cars & decent locations & slick production.

    The got the cars/locations/production about right but got the chemistry wrong & went with Chris Evans purile humour. Matt LeBlanc seemed to get it, but was badly let down.

  3. Re:To be fair... by justthinkit · · Score: 3, Interesting

    they really need someone dry and British.

    Jimmy Carr it is then.

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    I come here for the love
  4. Re:WHY IS THIS HERE?! by TigerPlish · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Because it's news for nerds. Oh, there are more nerds than you think they are. I think your definition of nerd is extremely narrow.

    There are car nerds, computer nerds, aviation nerds, boat/ship nerds, literature nerds, and more.

    So yes, an article about a controversial (and beloved) TV show that was about cars, politics and humor appeals to a broad spectrum of nerds and merits discussion on a board about news for nerds.

    I rarely reply to ACs but this whole "DOES THIS BELONG HERE" faction is even screechier and irritating than SJWs.

    GO away. If you don't like Slashdot, GTFO. Do I need to spell it out for you? OUT!

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  5. Re:Wrong approach ... by umafuckit · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I agree, the lack of any real change was a big problem for them. Without a format shift it was Top Gear without Clarkson and Co and that just didn't work. Top Gear worked because of the chemistry the three presenters had; they obviously got on and were having fun, which drew you in as a viewer. There was no chemistry between Evans and LeBlanc so everything felt contrived. I think if the BBC want it to survive they should keep LeBlanc and just let him pick two other people who he really wants to work and go with that. If they fail a second time around the series is dead on the BBC.

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    soylentnews.org