Amazon came to the rescue of the three amigos, signing a three-season contract with them for a motoring show on Amazon Prime. The Grand Tour was crowned “most pirated TV show of all time” in December of 2016, and that was it for the BBC despite the attempt to resurrect Top Gear.
First came Chris Evans, but couldn’t cut it as far as ratings were concerned. The fact that Evans wasn’t a natural at talking about cars on camera didn’t help either. Then Matt LeBlanc stepped up to the role of lead host. Being so much time on the road or on the filming location, the man who made a name for himself in Friends took the decision to leave Top Gear after the 26th series comes to a closure.
Starting with Series 27, the BBC has contracted Paddy McGuinness and Freddie Flintoff to star alongside Chris Harris on Top Gear. Even though the two have the skills to pay the bills, there’s no denying Top Gear is extremely different from Take Me Out and the world of cricket.
To this effect, Top Gear fans took to Twitter, ridiculizing the new lineup. Some of them even urge the BBC to cut the act, calling for the cancellation of the show. Even Tiff Needell took a jab at this change of course, commenting that “now there's only one... car journalist on BBC Top Gear.”
Coming from the man who presented Top Gear for 15 years, that’s what we’d call a fair opinion.
After seeing the news this morning I think Top Gear has finally nailed the lid onto its coffin.
— Wils ìç (@OfficialWils_) October 22, 2018
@BBC_TopGear if reports are true about Paddy McGuinness hosting top gear then I can’t be the only viewer you are gonna loose. Didn’t you learn during Chris Evans period? MLB, Chris H and RR are a perfect combo. Even forgot about the old trio Î
— Ian King (@TheKingydelay) October 22, 2018
I hate to say this, but why can't we just stop Top Gear's suffering and let it die
— ThatRacerGuy (@TomCurran03) October 22, 2018
No interest in Top Gear or the new presenters. But if the BBC had any sense, they'd pay Steve Coogan a ton of cash and get him to do it as Alan Partridge. pic.twitter.com/BMuGErDmcg
— Mack (@macknicholls) October 22, 2018
Top Gear just needs to call it a day now...
— James (@JamesSpark_) October 22, 2018
So Paddy McGuinness is the new host of #TopGear. What is going on with the world now!? pic.twitter.com/hRpHV7HMwR
— Ryan (@RyPatts) October 22, 2018
Ice cold Chris. Wow pic.twitter.com/CIL5bKdBJO
— Jamie Pav (@Pav90) October 22, 2018
And now there's only one ... car journalist on @BBC_TopGear. No doubt Paddy and Freddie will bring plenty of laughs but, for car fans, I fear it's a step too far into the 'light entertainment' world!!
— Tiff Needell (@tiff_tv) October 22, 2018
Chris Harris doing a spot-on impression of the whole country's reaction to the new #TopGear presenters. pic.twitter.com/uizK86FAZ6
— Rob Young (@robjyoung) October 22, 2018