Chris Evans has confirmed his plans to step down as co-host of Top Gear in the wake of poor ratings and friction between his co-hosts.
Chris Evans, the man the BBC turned to after Top Gear co-hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond departed the show, has now confirmed his plans to step down as the co-host of the series after just one season.
Read: Netflix snags rights to air Top Gear outside of the UK
Evans, who worked alongside Matt LeBlanc of Friends fame – and several other presenters – made the announcement via Twitter, citing that he had “given it (his) best shot but sometimes that’s not enough.”
Stepping down from Top Gear. Gave it my best shot but sometimes that’s not enough. The team are beyond brilliant, I wish them all the best.
“” Chris Evans (@achrisevans) July 4, 2016
Evans further confirmed that he would continue to participate in his other projects, such as Radio 2, CarFest, and Children In Need among others.
Full steam ahead then with Radio 2, CarFest, Children In Need, 500 Words and whatever else we can dream up in the future.
“” Chris Evans (@achrisevans) July 4, 2016
The first series of the show – which Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc presented together – brought in exceptionally poor ratings, with fewer than 2 million active viewers during the most recent season finale which aired internationally this weekend. In context, that’s far less than any episode presented by Clarkson, Hammond or May.
The three Top Gear alumni have made their way over to Amazon, where they have been commissioned for 36 episodes of a new show named The Grand Tour.
The news emerges after LeBlanc allegedly stated he would not continue with the show should Evans remain on board.
Read: The Top Gear trio returns with Amazon show!
What are your thoughts on Chris Evan’s departure? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!
Follow Bryan Smith on Twitter: @bryansmithSA
