Matt LeBlanc will present ‘Top Gear’ again.
The popular motoring show has been hit with numerous changes over the past two years as the original presenting line up – Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May – were given the chop and the replacement Chris Evans walked out just a few episodes into the series because of backlash he received from fans online.
However, it looks like bosses have found a team that work well for the show and the viewers as they have asked the former ‘Friends’ star to reprise his hosting gig alongside Rory Reid and Chris Harris in this year’s forthcoming instalment.
The 25th series – which will be six-hour long episodes – will see the team confronting issues including building the world’s fastest tractor, tackling America’s Wild West and attempting to land a NASA research plane in a muscle car.
And the team aren’t just sticking to the UK either as the show – which rivals Jeremy, Richard and James’ motoring show ‘The Grand Tour’ on Amazon – will also be filmed in Japan, America and Italy over the next coming months.
Meanwhile, Matt’s return won’t come as too much of a surprise to fans as the show’s boss Patrick Holland said last year that he loved the trio working together.
He said at the time: "The audience appreciation scores are far bigger than they were last year. The audience is much younger. It has had a real growth in under 34s and under 16s. The doubt at the beginning, the fear when a show comes back is will the audience grow to like this new presenting combo? And we are starting again this year. And I think they really have and Chris and Rory have grown and Matt has made it his own show. We are turning over a new leaf, I think Chris and Rory have been fantastic, I think Matt has really been terrific on the films. I think he really started to enjoy the studios more and more."
And Chris – who walked away from the show just 12 months into his three-year contract – recently revealed him walking away did them a favour because more people are tuning in to the show now that it’s become more about cars.
He said: "It’s a bit more car-orientated so the petrolheads are enjoying it. It’s never going to satisfy the full petrolhead audience but the car is at the centre of the show."
Although a release date has yet to be confirmed, the show will be returning to BBC Two this year and will feature celebrity guests and supercars.