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Former Formula One team owner Eddie Jordan is set to join Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc as a presenter on Top Gear.
Jordan, a close and longstanding friend of Evans, is understood to be close to finalising a contract to join the new-look BBC2 motoring show.
The 67-year old has been part of the BBC’s Formula One presenting team alongside David Coulthard, who Evans was also keen to bring on board.
However, Channel 4’s move to snap up the Formula One has freed up Jordan, although the broadcaster did move to sign Coulthard which eliminated him from potentially joining Top Gear.
An insider said Evans and Jordan had known each other for decades and his expert knowledge would be a major asset for the show.
The BBC declined to comment but it is understood that a deal is almost certain to be finalised in the coming days.
Jordan may now have to join Evans and LeBlanc and pack his bags to head to South Africa – with a possible stopover in Liverpool – as the team embark on a whirlwind series of pit stops across the globe to film the new-look Top Gear.
Speaking on Evans’ Radio 2 breakfast show the Friends star said he already had someone house hunting in the UK on his behalf as he prepared to join the production team on a tight schedule to get the BBC2 show on-air by early May.
First stop in the international filming schedule is Africa where the pair will fly to early next month.
...there is a good chance that Jordan and LeBlanc’s first official Top Gear appearance will be in Liverpool later this month.
They may well be roped in alongside Evans to appear at the BBC’s biggest annual event to make a crucial pitch to promote the new Top Gear show to hundreds of international television buyers.
The BBC is next week due to confirm German racing driver Sabine Schmitz and motoring journalist Chris Harris as Top Gear presenters, which could make the Liverpool event the first outing of the full new-look presenting team.
And looks like LeBlanc is getting about $725,000 to be on the show. They obviously rushed to get it on before Clarkson, Hammond and Mays can get theirs on.
get over it, not happening, esp. since they were already signed by amazon.
And why bother anyway - the new amazon show should be just as good. We have an opportunity here for another motoring show, but the BBC will probably find a way to bungle it...
I have to say I'm a lot more positive now. Old Top Gear had grown stale and it could be that Clarkson's punch was just what was needed to shake it up a bit. And we still have James May and his eclectic mix of shows - him on his own for an hour without Jeremy attacking something in the background with a chain saw is much more enjoyable TV.
I have to say I'm a lot more positive now. Old Top Gear had grown stale and it could be that Clarkson's punch was just what was needed to shake it up a bit. And we still have James May and his eclectic mix of shows - him on his own for an hour without Jeremy attacking something in the background with a chain saw is much more enjoyable TV.
Old Top Gear was not stale, it was still excellent, those hosts are what made the show, they tried the show in the US with younger hosts and it is/was awful. I hope these new hosts work, Matt Leblanc could be interesting and I am warming up to it more with him but he is still a little too nice of a guy and normally really shy/low key when I have seen him interviewed. Leno, Seinfeld, or Tim Allen would have been very good choices if they were going with a American.
Old top gear was not as good as 10 years ago, but it was still excellent. The problem was not the presenters, but that they ran out of ideas on what to do. They hardly did any challenges, like those cheap car challenges
Old top gear was not as good as 10 years ago, but it was still excellent. The problem was not the presenters, but that they ran out of ideas on what to do. They hardly did any challenges, like those cheap car challenges
also the ice clarkson was on kept getting thinner as the show went on, surely limiting some of the potentially more racy ideas at bay. i thought season "series" 22 was actually very good, but the last few before that were getting pretty scripted and too predictable. i'm starting to think the whole punch thing was just a way to get the show to end in an exciting manner lol... not really
i'm starting to think the whole punch thing was just a way to get the show to end in an exciting manner lol... not really
I really wish that he hadn't punched that producer. They had hinted(several times) that they were going to have a 3 way comparison of them driving the McLaren P1, Porsche 918, and LaFerrari on the street and track. For whatever reason, Porsche, McLaren and Ferrari have refused to lend the media any of these cars for a comparison test. Apparently they found a guy who owned all three of them who was willing to let them have a crack at it.
I really wish that he hadn't punched that producer. They had hinted(several times) that they were going to have a 3 way comparison of them driving the McLaren P1, Porsche 918, and LaFerrari on the street and track. For whatever reason, Porsche, McLaren and Ferrari have refused to lend the media any of these cars for a comparison test. Apparently they found a guy who owned all three of them who was willing to let them have a crack at it.
Not Top Gear, but there was a 3 part series on Youtube
I really wish that he hadn't punched that producer. They had hinted(several times) that they were going to have a 3 way comparison of them driving the McLaren P1, Porsche 918, and LaFerrari on the street and track. For whatever reason, Porsche, McLaren and Ferrari have refused to lend the media any of these cars for a comparison test. Apparently they found a guy who owned all three of them who was willing to let them have a crack at it.
They filmed it for the Amazon show, Clarkson Hammond and May.