The Grand Tour. (Top Gear is dead).

[Chris2K]

Chris Evans has signed a three year contract to be the "lead host" of Top Gear.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s265/top-gear/news/a653289/chris-evans-is-announced-as-top-gears-new-lead-host.html#~pfNRYoHOjSrrha

[METALMAN]

Wow. Claim that they will modernise the show then bring in someone stuck in the 90s. The BBC never ceases to amaze.

[Chris2K]

"All new line-up" as well, so no Hammond or May. Not that it was expected.

Also, in case anyone wasn't sure (like me), the last Clarkson/Hammond/May episode is on June 28th, the last two films involving the three of them combined with in-studio introductions (and I guess a eulogy at the end) from Hammond and May.

[Colly]

Works for me, I like Chris Evans.

[Costanza]

So his Top Gear Audition TFI Friday's anniversary was a success. Might as-well have that smug prick Richard off Pointless join him.

[Colly]

I like Richard Osman too. Are there any other terrible people you'd like to add for my satisfaction?

[Costanza]

That Shola Ameobi is available.

[Vamp]

The big concern at this stage is that they won't realise that the show is at its best when it's three mates mucking about. Ideally you'd want to cast it as a package, which it doesn't appear that they're doing. They could have gone for three very different people to the original trio and it probably wouldn't have hindered the show as long as they had the right chemistry.

Chris Evans just feels very uninspired. And it does make me think they've missed what makes the show really tick.

[Chris2K]

Newest news is that there will "100% definitely" be a female presenter, most likely Suzi Perry or Jodie Kidd.

I like Chris Evans but I think we can immediately say that this is Top Gear in name only now. Hopefully James May doesn't join as is being speculated so the three of them can start a new show elsewhere.

[stokeriño]

Top Gear also worked because they played exaggerated personas of themselves that they could rib each other on over and over. Even if they do something similar for Chris Evans (God knows what that would be) and the other new hosts, it will be very, very difficult to manufacture a combination that clicks in such entertaining fashion.

[Colly]

The big concern at this stage is that they won't realise that the show is at its best when it's three mates mucking about. Ideally you'd want to cast it as a package, which it doesn't appear that they're doing.

Danny Baker and Gazza. Got to be.

Were the other three really mates when it restarted, or did that just come along the way? I'm vaguely aware Hammond did local radio/tv, but no idea on May. I think they'd have to try not to force it, at the end of the day it's light entertainment and Evans can do that fairly easily, can't see him struggling with the initial awkwardness.

Edited June 17, 2015 by Ultra Rare Colly

[Vamp]

I think May and Clarkson were. Hammond auditioned but explains in his autobiography that he and Clarkson clicked in the audition when they started ribbing each other. But there's also the fact that the first couple of series tend to be a little dull. The problem is that the new Top Gear probably doesn't have the luxury of time. It's going to get compared to what the last version became rather than what it started with.

That said maybe sending whatever three people they end up with out on one of those epic road trips will speed the process up. Probably a better way of introducing their personalities than studio links.

[Colly]

Evans announced Top Gear Enough this morning, anyone sending a video?

[JasonM]

I think May and Clarkson were. Hammond auditioned but explains in his autobiography that he and Clarkson clicked in the audition when they started ribbing each other. But there's also the fact that the first couple of series tend to be a little dull. The problem is that the new Top Gear probably doesn't have the luxury of time. It's going to get compared to what the last version became rather than what it started with.

That said maybe sending whatever three people they end up with out on one of those epic road trips will speed the process up. Probably a better way of introducing their personalities than studio links.

Also the problem is to find three people that have stellar chemistry. The way Hammond/May/Clarkson got along was magical, and it shows in May/Hammond's solidarity when Clarkson was axed in also refusing to be a part of the new Top Gear without Clarkson.

They had a rough start, but their natural chemistry with eachother made every show special and made Top Gear into not just the best car-show ever, but perhaps the most popular Non-fiction TV-Show ever made. And there's simply no way that anyone could ever emulate that sort of chemistry. Sure Evans and the other two might hit it off just great, but they'll always be compared to the best trio in TV history and no talent or chemistry will ever put them ahead of that.

It truly is simply Top Gear in name now, because people didn't watch for the cars, they watched for the three idiots who were mucking about like a bunch of 12 year olds every week. The cars were simply a vehicle (pun intended) to let them act like a bunch of fools... In truth, Top Gear == Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond.

And i'm not one to torpedo a show before it gets underway, but I am hardpressed to give a shit about the new Top Gear simply because it hasn't got those three in it.

[Colly]

I think time will tell. It's tricky to know how much of that #bantz was off the cuff, particularly in the specials which were always the best bits, it's quite clear there is a script however loose it may be.

I'm quite looking forward to it, I always had a love/hate relationship towards it whereby I did find it funny but that always rebelled with my overriding impression that Clarkson is a Daily Mail reading cunt and Hammond isn't much better. I do love James May though...

[GhostMachine]

Chris Evans signed a 3 year deal for a show that will now be lucky to survive one.

If Clarkson, Hammond and May do go elsewhere and do a similar show, i hope we somehow get it here in the U.S.

[Lineker]

How amazing will we as a nation have done if we manage to successfully pass off Clarkson and Morgan to America?

[Hobo]

Top Gear in name only is pretty much what Top Gear was once they reformatted it from "show about reviewing cars" to "middle aged lad bants with some car reviewing" was it not?

[Colly]

How amazing will we as a nation have done if we manage to successfully pass off Clarkson and Morgan to America?

Corden too!

[GhostMachine]

Assuming you mean Piers Morgan.....y'all can have that motherfucker back!