New host of Top Gear Chris Evans has announced he is leaving the British car show after one season. Circulating media reports suggest it’s due to falling ratings.
The BBC is this morning reporting the ratings for the popular show have dropped dramatically to just 1.9 million on its last episode for the new season on Sunday night in the UK. It equated to just 8.6 per cent of the available audience, reports the BBC, and is the lowest ratings the show has had.
When the show was hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May the ratings never got under two million, says The Guardian.
The Top Gear hosts changed when Clarkson was fired after punching a producer. Hammond and May declined to extend their contracts after Clarkson wasn’t allowed back.
When Evans was announced as host along with Matt LeBlanc, Rory Reid, Chris Harris, Sabine Schmitz and Eddie Jordan there was scepticism whether they could deliver the same numbers as the preceding trio.
This season of Top Gear has made headlines throughout its duration, when LeBlanc was in trouble for doing doughnuts around British memorial site, and when footage of Clarkson assembling a box had more viewers than that week’s episode of Top Gear.
And now Evans has announced he’s stepping down from the post as host, tweeting his departure.
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
His tweet was followed by a statement on the Top Gear website, with the Top Gear team wishing Evans all the best.
“I have never worked with a more committed and driven team than the team I have worked with over the last twelve months,” Evans said in a statement.
“I feel like my standing aside is the single best thing I can now do to help the cause. I remain a huge fan of the show, always have been, always will be. I will continue to focus on my radio show and the allied events that it encompasses.”
