Breathe in, move on, says Evans after departing Top Gear

“Top Gear” host Chris Evans announced earlier this week that he’s quitting the BBC’s flagship vehicle show after just one series.

“I feel like standing aside is the single best thing I can now do to help the cause”. Instead, the other presenters will host the program, and most fingers point to Matt LeBlanc as being Evans’ direct replacement.

The final episode of the revamped motoring show aired on Sunday after a rocky ride during its return without Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond.

Towards the end of Season 23, the BBC kept Chris Evans on the sidelines and gave Harris and Reid more screen time, and the public liked. Evans announced his own departure on Twitter, saying, “gave it my best shot but sometimes that’s not enough”.

The revived Top Gear hasn’t had much luck since it premiered last month with dud reviews and relatively low-viewing figures for the once untouchable BBC programme.

It’s reported that the show’s controversial Cenotaph stunt – which was slammed as disrespectful by both the media and fans alike – raked up a £2,750 bill alone.

Evans quit Top Gear this week after suffering weeks of abuse from viewers over his loud-mouthed presenting style, as well as falling ratings.

However, it has now been claimed that Chris was in two minds about whether or not to leave the BBC series, but bosses told him not to dither over the decision.

In a statement, BBC director Mark Linsey said, “Chris is stepping down from his duties on Top Gear”. In 2015, Evans signed a three-year deal to take over the show as the host. Since the show’s rebooting after the previous hosts left, the show has suffered plummeting ratings, and this has prompted the TV host to step from his post.

Chris Evans kicked off his Tuesday Radio 2 show with a nod to Top Gear.