{"id":125639,"date":"2015-06-17T09:04:11","date_gmt":"2015-06-17T09:04:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=125639"},"modified":"2015-06-17T09:04:11","modified_gmt":"2015-06-17T09:04:11","slug":"chris-evans-is-new-top-gear-presenter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2015\/06\/chris-evans-is-new-top-gear-presenter\/","title":{"rendered":"Chris Evans is new Top Gear presenter"},"content":{"rendered":"
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.<\/p>\n
Evans said he was “thrilled” to get the job, describing the motoring show as his “favourite programme of all time”.<\/p>\n
“I promise I will do everything I possibly can to respect what has gone on before and take the show forward,” he added.<\/p>\n
Clarkson was dropped in March after punching a producer while on location.<\/p>\n
Car enthusiast Evans, who has signed a three-year deal with the BBC Two show, had been tipped to replace his good friend Clarkson but had previously insisted he was not interested.<\/p>\n
An “all-new” line-up means Clarkson’s co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May will not be involved.<\/p>\n
Top Gear is watched by 350 million viewers worldwide and is one of the BBC’s biggest shows, with overseas sales worth an estimated \u00a350m a year.<\/p>\n
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.”<\/p>\n
And in a statement, he said: “I’m thrilled, Top Gear is my favourite programme of all time.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“When in fact of course, it’s anything but and that’s the genius of Top Gear’s global success.”<\/p>\n
Back in March, Evans had denied that he was taking over the show’s presenting duties, tweeting: “I can categorically say I am not and will NEVER be running for office. Pls discount my candidacy.”<\/p>\n