Yahoo Autos Matt LeBlanc Will Reportedly Be The Sole Lead Host for Top Gear
Matt LeBlanc came into season 23 of Top Gear as a dark horse, but quickly emerged as a very savvy casting choice by the BBC. He's a true car enthusiast, and he fit into the Top Gear mold effortlessly, surprising many who watched the show. Chris Evans, on the other hand, never quite fit, leaving after just one season. Now it sounds like LeBlanc will be TG's only lead presenter.
We reported earlier this week that the BBC has no plans to replace Evans, and now Variety reports that LeBlanc will be the show's sole lead host for its next season. Top Gear's 24th season will begin filming in September, and LeBlanc will be joined by the show's four contributing hosts, Sabine Schmitz, Eddie Jordan, and fan-favorites Rory Reid, and Chris Harris.
Evans, a popular radio personality in the UK, was commonly cited as the weakest link in Top Gear's reboot. When Evans announced on Twitter that he was leaving the show, he said he "gave it my best shot but sometimes that's not enough." He's also the subject of an investigation into an alleged sexual assault in the 1990s, though it's unclear if that had anything to do with his resignation. Evans hasn't left the BBC outright, since he still plans on hosting his Radio 2 show.
LeBlanc will also star in a CBS sitcom called Man With a Plan, which will premiere this fall. The BBC is said to be working around his filming schedule for that show, which is apparently LeBlanc's main priority.
Despite bad reviews, season 23 of Top Gear showed promise and perhaps it will improve with LeBlanc taking the helm. Hopefully Rory Reid and Chris Harris will have more chance to take the spotlight as well.
