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Chris Evans to be new Top Gear presenter Chris Evans to be new Top Gear presenter
(35 minutes later)
TV and radio presenter Chris Evans will be the new Top Gear presenter, the BBC has announced. TV and radio personality Chris Evans will replace Jeremy Clarkson as the lead presenter of an all-new Top Gear line-up, the BBC has announced.
Evans said he was "thrilled" to get the job, describing the motoring show as his "favourite programme of all time".Evans said he was "thrilled" to get the job, describing the motoring show as his "favourite programme of all time".
"I promise I will do everything I possibly can to respect what has gone on before and take the show forward," he added."I promise I will do everything I possibly can to respect what has gone on before and take the show forward," he added.
He will replace Jeremy Clarkson, who was dropped after punching a producer while on location. Clarkson was dropped in March after punching a producer while on location.
Evans, a car enthusiast who had been tipped to replace Clarkson, has signed a three-year deal to lead an all-new Top Gear line-up. Car enthusiast Evans, who has signed a three-year deal with the BBC Two show, had been tipped to replace Clarkson but had previously insisted he was not interested.
The BBC's David Sillito said the new line-up meant Clarkson's co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May would not be involved. The BBC's David Sillito said the all-new line-up meant Clarkson's co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May would not be involved.
He said while Chris Evans was a household name, Clarkson had a long-running association with Top Gear and they were big shoes to fill. He said while Chris Evans was a household name, Clarkson had a long-running association with Top Gear and his were big shoes to fill.
Top Gear is watched by some 350 million viewers worldwide and is one of the BBC's biggest shows, with overseas sales worth an estimated £50m a year.Top Gear is watched by some 350 million viewers worldwide and is one of the BBC's biggest shows, with overseas sales worth an estimated £50m a year.
'Cheeky unpredictability''Cheeky unpredictability'
Once the news broke, Evans tweeted: "First tweet as new Top Gear host. I would like to say Jeremy, Richard & James are the greatest. And NO I'm not leaving the R2 Breakfast Show."Once the news broke, Evans tweeted: "First tweet as new Top Gear host. I would like to say Jeremy, Richard & James are the greatest. And NO I'm not leaving the R2 Breakfast Show."
In a statement, Evans said the programme was "created by a host of brilliant minds who love cars and understand how to make the massively complicated come across as fun, devil-may-care and effortless". In a statement, Evans said: ""I'm thrilled, Top Gear is my favourite programme of all time.
"When in fact of course, it's anything but and that's the genius of Top Gear's global success," he added. "Created by a host of brilliant minds who love cars and understand how to make the massively complicated come across as fun, devil-may-care and effortless.
Controller of BBC Two and BBC Four Kim Shillinglaw said: "I am so delighted that Chris will be presenting the next series of Top Gear. "When in fact of course, it's anything but and that's the genius of Top Gear's global success."
"His knowledge of and passion for cars are well-known and combined with his sheer inventiveness and cheeky unpredictability, he is the perfect choice to take our much-loved show into the future. Controller of BBC Two and BBC Four Kim Shillinglaw said she was "delighted" that Evans would be presenting the next series of Top Gear.
"His knowledge of and passion for cars are well-known and combined with his sheer inventiveness and cheeky unpredictability, he is the perfect choice to take our much-loved show into the future," she said.
"Chris is a huge fan of Top Gear and has great respect for the craft and work ethic of one of the best production teams in the world."Chris is a huge fan of Top Gear and has great respect for the craft and work ethic of one of the best production teams in the world.
"He knows the phenomenal attention to detail it takes to make a single sequence of Top Gear, let alone a whole series. He is already full of brilliant ideas and I can't wait for him to get started.""He knows the phenomenal attention to detail it takes to make a single sequence of Top Gear, let alone a whole series. He is already full of brilliant ideas and I can't wait for him to get started."
Production on the new series of Top Gear will start in the next few weeks and more information will be announced in due course.Production on the new series of Top Gear will start in the next few weeks and more information will be announced in due course.
Jeremy Clarkson was suspended, then dropped, by the BBC in March following a "fracas" with a producer at a hotel.Jeremy Clarkson was suspended, then dropped, by the BBC in March following a "fracas" with a producer at a hotel.
His final appearance on Top Gear will be shown on 28 June. The episode will be made up of two films shot before Clarkson was suspended, with Hammond and May presenting links from the studio.