The Full Top Gear Presenter Line-Up Has Finally Been Confirmed

Top Gear has announced its full presenter line-up, with Chris Harris, Sabine Schmitz, Eddie Jordan and Rory Reid confirmed alongside Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc
The Full Top Gear Presenter Line-Up Has Finally Been Confirmed

After months of rumours, denials, various lists churned out by betting agencies and endless speculation, we finally have our new Top Gear presenter line-up. Chris Evans was announced as the new host last year, but it was only last week that the next presenter was confirmed: actor Matt LeBlanc. This came as a surprise as earlier reports had ‘confirmed’ veteran motoring journalist Chris Harris and ‘Ring queen Sabine Schmitz as Evans’ co-presenters, but both have now been officially announced as part of the cast, along with F1 team owner turned pundit Eddie Jordan and Rory Reid.

Speaking about the announcement on Topgear.com, Jordan - who was rumoured to be joining the cast last week - said “I have such enormous respect for all my fellow presenters and I politely ask that they go easy on these old bones.” Having been a pundit for the BBC’s F1 coverage since 2009 (the contract going to Channel 4 for 2016 no doubt freed up his schedule), the corporation is familiar territory for the former Jordan Grand Prix owner.

Schmitz has already been spotted filming with Evans during that infamous vomiting incident, and appeared on Top Gear numerous times during Clarkson Hammond and May’s reign. Now she’s on the programme full time, she said: “I grew up next to the Nürburgring 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.”

Chris Harris arguably gives the show more credibility to petrolheads than any of the other presenters, and in a series of Tweets this morning said “Think I’ll remember today. Big thank you to everyone who helped me get this chance. And for the avoidance of doubt, @achrisevans is massive and I’m norma [sic] size. Honest.” On Topgear.com he said “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.”

Harris taking the job goes against what he told us in an interview last summer (skip to the 4min 35sec mark in the video above), seemingly before the offer had been made. He said: “No, I’ve not been offered Top Gear. I think you’d need to be paid a lot of money in the first year, because I’m not sure you’d be employable in the second and third years.” Clearly he’s been convinced otherwise since…

Remote video URL

Reid is the least known of the crew, and is the only one who came through the show’s open auditions. His appointment would be more of a surprise, had a few eagle-eyed people not spotted him in a Tweet from Chris Evans a few days ago. Formerly of YouTube channel Fast, Furious and Funny and more recently Recombu Cars, Reid said: “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.” We’ve featured some of Reid’s work on Car Throttle before (see above for his brilliant alternative Rolls Royce Ghost review), and reckon the TG appointment is pretty damn well deserved.

What we don’t know just yet is how all of the presenters will work together. It has been previously reported that the show will work in a pyramid structure with Evans at the top and the likes of Sabine, Harris et al further down the order as semi-regulars, but we’ll have to wait and see exactly how it’s all going to fit together.

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Comments

LimitOfTraction #FlatOut
02/11/2016 - 08:34 |
6 | 0
AxleGrinder

Now all they need to do is get rid of Chris Evans and the show might be a hit!

02/11/2016 - 08:35 |
358 | 6

Why not replace Chris Evans with Ben Collins?

02/11/2016 - 09:47 |
48 | 4

Why? He’s a good presenter, writes some decent auto reviews and is a bonkers car nut - he’s pretty much perfect for it.

02/11/2016 - 10:16 |
12 | 8

Just get a petition started to get Alex Kersten on there

02/11/2016 - 15:17 |
2 | 0

no, they need to get rid of everyone except Chris Harris

02/16/2016 - 06:27 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

The only thing that’s preventing me watching the new top gear is the name “Top Gear” Call it anything else and it’ll be fine

02/11/2016 - 08:35 |
138 | 4
Mikael Fredriksson

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

You sir have spoken the truth! It will never be “Top Gear” without those 3 morons! Call it “Downshift”, “High Revs” or “Gear Knobs”. But not Top Gear, they lost that title when they sacked Clarkson.

02/11/2016 - 10:47 |
50 | 2
Neco Arc

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Gop Tear must be enough

02/11/2016 - 12:55 |
2 | 0
Ed Ocampo

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

You know it was called Top Gear way before any of the last three joined, don’t you?

02/11/2016 - 14:59 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

Sorry but six presenters? I just don’t think that many can work. Spamming stars isn’t a substitute for the Trio or at least picking three very good ones.

02/11/2016 - 08:35 |
78 | 2
CJ 89

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Works alright at Fifth Gear. Not all six are on at once, you know. And they need to mix it up, if they just had three replacements they’d be accused of just copying Clarkson, Hammond, and May.

02/11/2016 - 09:21 |
18 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

The original Top Gear back in the late 70s/early 80s had like 10 presenters. Worked ok for them.

02/11/2016 - 09:32 |
6 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Mythbusters had five and it worked because they where doing different things, they only got together on special episodes

02/11/2016 - 11:19 |
30 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Didn’t old Top gear have a lot of presenters as well? granted maybe not all at the same time. But I remember at least 4 or 5 in one episode

02/11/2016 - 14:15 |
0 | 0
CJ 89

Damn. Beat me by two minutes. I’m just so glad that Chris Harris is still a definite. I wonder how the setup will be though, like an integrated part of challenges and stuff? Or just continuing CHOC as a segment of the new show?

02/11/2016 - 08:36 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

I’m waiting for the REAL top gear

02/11/2016 - 08:36 |
2 | 2
Anonymous

Looking forward to this almost as much as Clarkson Hammond & May’s new show!
CAR SHOWS FOR ALL!

02/11/2016 - 08:37 |
12 | 0
Pecata Warpie

Guys , if we all hate Chris Evans why is he still on TOP GEAR??

02/11/2016 - 08:37 |
2 | 0

Because we don’t ALL hate him. I quite like him. ducks

02/11/2016 - 09:23 |
4 | 0
Huntslog

I New rory reid was gonna get in there after his rolls royce video.

02/11/2016 - 08:38 |
8 | 0

yup.

02/11/2016 - 08:43 |
0 | 0
Misotus

I could start watching top gear again but only because Chris Harris is there

02/11/2016 - 08:39 |
64 | 2
ethosveritas

In reply to by Misotus

He’s pretty much the drawcard for me here…

02/11/2016 - 09:30 |
6 | 0

That’s my only incentive too 😆

02/11/2016 - 10:58 |
0 | 0

He is the only one in there that makes it interesting for me

02/11/2016 - 14:14 |
0 | 0

Sounds like you just don’t have a clue of who Eddie Jordan, Matt LeBlanc and Sabine really are

02/11/2016 - 15:01 |
2 | 0