'Top Gear': Chris Evans Throws Support Behind Co-Host Matt LeBlanc

Chris Evans has offered his support to ‘Top Gear’ co-host Matt LeBlanc, admitting he is the right person to lead the show following his exit. 

The BBC Radio 2 DJ quit the motoring series last week, after its reboot received poor reviews and falling ratings. 

Chris announced his departure on Twitter, later issuing an official statement, but has now spoken in more depth about his exit in his Mail On Sunday column. 

Of Matt, he described him as “the captain ‘Top Gear’ truly needs going forward”, going on to say:  “Not only does he eat, sleep, breathe and dream engines, propshafts and trail-braking, but the overwhelming quality that struck me about him is that he’s just such a pro.

“The whole time I worked with him, he never once looked at the clock, was never late on set, knew his lines inside out and back to front and, most importantly on such an intense production, he always had time for everyone, especially the crew.

“The simple truth is he and ‘Top Gear’ were made for each other,” he added.

The BBC have confirmed Matt will become the show’s main host when filming on the new series begins in September, with Rory Reid, Chris Harris, Sabine Schmitz and Eddie Jordan continuing in their supporting roles. 

Chris also described working on ‘Top Gear’ as an “honour, privilege and a pleasure”, and admitted he was “entirely sad” to leave. 

“I promise, I really did try to make the best show I possibly could,” he wrote. 

“Some things, however, simply don’t work out. It seems I may well have been a square peg in a round hole.”

“I think the phrase is ‘not meant to be.”

He continued: “I am entirely sad ‘Top Gear’ didn’t work out – I would have loved to have carried on working on it. 

“But letting go with a smile on your face is far better than clinging on till you look constipated. Know what I mean?”

The Telegraph has claimed that a planned Christmas special of the show will be scrapped ahead of the show’s return in 2017.

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