Following the exit of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, the BBC has been searching for new television presenters to host their popular Top Gear television show. After a lot of speculation about who might be joining the Top Gear team, the BBC has confirmed the program’s lineup.
The lineup of presenters consists of six different people, double the amount of hosts that the show featured previously. The presenters will be Sabine Schmitz, Chris Harris, Eddie Jordan, Rory Reid, Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc. The show will continue to feature the unnamed racing driver known as The Stig.
Sabine Schmitz is a German racing driver, having driven for BMW and Porsche. She is also known by her nickname, Queen of the Ring. She got this nickname from her ability to master the difficult Nürburgring and from driving the BMW “Ring taxi” around the circuit. She made her television debut as a guest motorsport commentator and was the co-host of a German television program called D Motor. She is no stranger to Top Gear, having made a guest appearance in a few episodes.
Chris Harris is best known for his popular YouTube channel, Chris Harris on Cars. Harris started his motoring career as the official road-test editor of Autocar magazine. Since then, he has appeared on various online publications and videos and is no strangers to the fast cars that Top Gear features on their program.
Eddie Jordan is a familiar face in the Formula One world. He was owner of Jordan Grand Prix, currently Force India. Jordan sold the team in 2005 to Midland Group and began a career as a Formula One commentator and analyst. Now he joins the BBC to co-host the reboot of Top Gear. “I’m giddy with excitement to be joining Chris and the team,” Eddie Jordan said. “I have such enormous respect for all my fellow presenters and I politely ask that they go easy on these old bones. Cars are in my DNA and although I’ve been fortunate enough to accomplish most things I ever aspired to in motorsport, presenting Top Gear is quite simply the icing on the cake.”
Rory Reid is a well-known motoring journalist. He has worked for CNET UK and was one of the forces behind the Car Tech channel. He also worked for Sky 1, taking a lead role on the Gadget Geeks program, while also appearing on a number of automotive related television shows. Reid was also featured on the Fast, Furious & Funny YouTube channel, which was very popular.
Chris Evans was already confirmed as a new Top Gear presenter months ago and there was some speculation involving car sickness during filming of some segments in the show. He is a radio presenter who has worked with the BBC hosting the Drivetime programme and later The Chris Evans Breakfast Show. He has also made some television appearances in his career.
Matt LeBlanc was an interesting choice, as he is the only member without a career in motor journalism. The actor is most famous for his role as Joey Tribbiani in the American sitcom, Friends, and its later spinoff series, Joey. He is not new at the BBC, as he has been playing a fictional version of himself in the 2011 BBC television show, Episodes, which is still currently on the air. LeBlanc may not have a motoring journalism career, but his is no stranger to motorsport, having been a fan of Formula One and appearing at many races.
The BBC will be looking to outdo Jeremy Clarkson’s new television show on Amazon Video. Clarkson was fired from the BBC after attacking one of the show’s producers. Shortly after, Richard Hammond and James May announced that they would be leaving Top Gear. It is unknown whether the new Top Gear will follow the same format as the previous seasons, but it will be known soon enough, as the show gets set for its return some time in May.
