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Diverse Top Gear cast revealed

Eddie Jordan, Sabine Schmitz, Chris Harris & Rory Reid join new-look Top Gear cast.

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The new-look Top Gear will have not 3 but seven presenters, led by Chris Evans.

The BBC has confirmed its remaining presenters as Formula 1 commentator Eddie Jordan, German racing driver Sabine Schmitz, motoring journalist Chris Harris, and car reviewer Rory Reid.

The four join previously-announced US actor Matt LeBlanc and The Stig.

While it has taken double the amount of presenters to replace Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, the line-up is more progressive, including the first female presenter for the show, plus non-Caucasian in Rory Reid.

Chris Evans said: “We really do have a bit of everything for everyone. A fellow lifelong petrolhead from the other side of the pond in Matt; a fearless speed-demon in the irrepressible and effervescent Sabine; the encyclopedic, funny and wonderfully colourful character that is EJ; Chris, one of the world’s top no-nonsense car reviewers; and Rory, who simply blew me away in his audition and fully deserves his place on the team.”

Eddie Jordan said: “I’m giddy with excitement to be joining Chris and the team. 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.”

Chris Harris said: “Top Gear is the thing that helped shape my life with cars, my perception of cars and my obsession with cars, and I’m raring to give it a go. I’m also quite gobby and happy to get into trouble, so I’m hoping I can underpin the programme with journalistic credibility but still cause some mischief. And if it all goes wrong, well, I can say I was once on Top Gear, and just head back to being that annoying small bloke off YouTube.”

Sabine Schmitz added: “I grew up next to the Nurburgring, and have been racing for most of my life, so the chance to combine both driving and filming was too good an opportunity to pass up. I’ve appeared on Top Gear a few times in the past, so I know we’re going to have a lot of fun.”

Rory Reid commented: “When I submitted my 30-second audition tape, I knew the odds were very firmly against me, as the auditions were open to absolutely everybody. To be the only person to make it through the open audition process makes me immensely proud. I’ve been a Top Gear fan for decades, but more than that, I live and breathe cars in a way that is perfectly compatible with the show. I’m looking forward to bringing my brand of knowledge, energy and humour to what promises to be a very exciting new series.”

Top Gear returns this May to BBC Knowledge.

13 Responses

  1. What the fans liked about Top Gear is still fresh in their minds and no matter how decent this show might be it can never be as good as the memory. You need a few years rest so people can forget or at least desensitize their memories. While it is resting they could spend the time reformatting the show and seeking a cast that has a good chemistry. This feels like a slapdash effort to please as many audience demographics as possible in hope of retaining the viewing numbers they once had.

  2. In a politically correct world their days were numbered anyway, since they can’t run against Trump for the presidency unless they can get Hawaiian birth certificates form somewhere. After 179 eps their stick had gotten repetitive. But they will still be doing it for Amazon’s loyalty programme.

    Top Gear won’t get the same attention it used to, but it could be a decent motoring show and will have the wider distribution. The BBC has to try it anyway.

  3. Sabine is not the first female presenter, just the first one for 15 years. Vicki Butler Henderson was a regular in the past. It could well be that it is going back to an updated version of the prog, prior to the Wilman/Clarkson version. It has been around for a few decades. We’ll see BBC will give it at least 2 seasons

  4. Will be fun to watch this ship sink, seriously too many cooks in the kitchen I don’t see this working but maybe the point is more hosts so they can cut some of them later or is it just PC gone mad?

  5. I think it’s a great line up and well thought out. These people know their stuff and it looks fresh and fun.
    Love the fact that everyone thinks it’s going to fail without having even seen a promo clip or full ep.
    Open your minds people, it’s good to try something new and give things a chance without immediately judging.
    The three other guys will still be around, don’t worry.

  6. Looks like it’s going back to the days when they had multiple presenters feeding in stories to a central host, a bit different to recent days when just about every outing included banter between the close knit three.

    1. I had the same thought. It sounds like they might be going back to the original Top Gear format or something similar. I’m sure they’ll bring some new ideas with such a diverse hosting group, so I look forward to seeing what they come up.

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