British presenter Evans is 'thrilled' to get the job, promising, 'I will do everything I possibly can to respect what has gone on before and take the show forward.'
- June 17, 2015
AceShowbiz -
"Top Gear" has found its new host, BBC has announced. Chris Evans (II) is chosen to take reign from longtime host Jeremy Clarkson, who was fired in March after punching the show's producer Oisin Tymon.
"I'm thrilled," Evans says of his new gig. " 'Top Gear' is my favourite program of all time, created by a host of brilliant minds who love cars and understand how to make the massively complicated come across as fun, devil-may-care and effortless. Of course it's anything but and that's the genius of 'Top Gear's' global success. I promise I will do everything I possibly can to respect what has gone on before and take the show forward."
He also writes on his Twitter, "First tweet as new Top Gear host. I would like to say Jeremy, Richard & James are the greatest. And NO I'm not leaving the R2 Breakfast Show."
Controller of BBC Two and BBC Four Kim Shillinglaw says of Evans, "His knowledge of and passion for cars are well known, and combined with his sheer inventiveness and cheeky unpredictability, he is the perfect choice to take our much-loved show into the future."
She adds, "Chris is a huge fan of 'Top Gear' and has great respect for the craft and work ethic of one of the best production teams in the world.He knows the phenomenal attention to detail it takes to make a single sequence of 'Top Gear', let alone a whole series. He is already full of brilliant ideas and I can't wait for him to get started."
BBC says Evans has signed a three-year deal to host the world's most popular factual TV program. His co-presenters will be announced "in due course" as Clarkson's former co-presenters, James May and Richard Hammond, have been confirmed to not return as well.
Production on the new season will begin in the next few weeks.
