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.

Comments

of course

[Anonymous Coward]

Back when the Top Gear 2002 was (re)booted, I wouldn't have said it but after 20-something seasons - there's no team that can replace Clarkson, Hammond and May. Their charisma together was quite unique and I loved the show, for all of its faults.

Re:of course

[somenickname]

Exactly this. It was a silly show but, you couldn't help but watch it even if your didn't give a shit about cars. It was *fun*. And had the added benefit of seeing insanely expensive cars that you'll never drive. Being driven by a mute gimp in a helmet. Brilliant.

Re: of course

[bestweasel]

He hosts a breakfast radio show, I think because it helps to hurry people out of their homes in the morning.

Viewers hate political correctness

[jonnyj]

I never watch Top Gear. It's not my kind of thing. But I always had a sneaking admiration for the ability of Jeremy Clarkson, the wildly popular former host, to retain his job whilst thumbing his nose at everything the politically correct thought-police hold dear. When they finally find an excuse to sack Clarkson, the cheering and whooping from Broadcasting House could be heard all over the British Isles.

I always imagined that a politically correct replacement show would tank badly with its core demographic of non-metropolitan blokes. Viewers hate being told what to think, and I'm delighted to see they've rebelled in huge numbers.

Re:Viewers hate political correctness

[ArchieBunker]

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.

Re: Viewers hate political correctness

[Anonymous Coward]

^^^^ 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.

Re:Viewers hate political correctness

[BasilBrush]

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.

It is not like it was not expected...

[Anonymous Coward]

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?

It's Not His Fault

[Anonymous Coward]

It's not his fault, alone. The show sucks. Matt Leblanc sucks.

BBC failed to realize that the popularity of the show was due to Clarkson, Hammond, and May combined. Watch an episode where it is only any two of them and it sucks. Those specific three COMBINED are just the right chemistry for hilarity. Watch the American TopGear, it sucks. Australian TopGear, it sucks.

The whole of TopGear UK was greater than the sum of its parts. Here's hoping that Amazon's The Grand Tour, with the real TopGear crew, won't let us down.

Re:To be fair...

[RDW]

He's a loud mouth idiot who was screaming right up until last week

If they want to stick with the formula, I believe Nigel Farage is now available.

Here's an idea

[93 Escort Wagon]

Maybe they should bring Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, and Courtney Cox on board to co-host the show. During the season, they could all share a London flat - maybe have some special episodes hosted from the flat.

Re:Yeah, didn't see that coming!

[JustNiz]

I totally agree. I never did get what anyone ever saw in Evans.Have no idea why the BBC ever hired him for anything,
GT (the old TG team) will be hitting Amazon Prime in supposedly 8 weeks or so with a budget per episode that makes what the BBC gave them look like pocket change. Just what the doctor ordered to get rid of the awful aftertaste of the first season of the new Top Gear.

Three men and some cars

[jrq]

The formula for Top Gear, after Clarkson completely revamped it from a very pedestrian ordinary car review show, was lifted, almost directly from Jerome K Jerome's Three Men in a Boat. A quintessential English novel that captured the relationship, in-fighting, sulking, and entertaining dynamic of three men on a boat trip. This theatre was played out week after week on Top Gear, when they went on their contrived, ridiculous, and entertaining adventures. By missing this enormous formula, the producers of the show delivered a turkey. Two hosts, do not give you the opportunity to pit two against one, with the teams always changing.

The signature segment, "star in a reasonably priced car" worked because the guests were driving cars that average people owned. The replacement with a super-charged mini on a part rally course misses this point completely. Top Gear was always silly, slightly annoying, superbly shot and soundtracked.

Chris Evans, who seems to only have one set of clothes in his wardrobe, was shouty, predictable, and seemingly incapable of interviewing anyone. Matt Le Blanc was surprisingly good.