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…

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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

Anonymous

Come on guys, give the ginger a chance

02/11/2016 - 10:34 |
2 | 0
Rithin Mukundan

And on that bomb shell I’m finished watching 5th gear

02/11/2016 - 10:35 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

With this line-up it will be a great show but not “that great show” we were used to
These guys are great automotive “experts” but not so good as the lovely trio..we will miss that epic jokes on each other

02/11/2016 - 10:36 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

I know im like nah dont want to watch it but it will suck me in and i will probs watch it but will never be as good

02/11/2016 - 10:36 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Where are Hammond and May

02/11/2016 - 10:36 |
0 | 4
Anonymous

Lol they forgot alex

02/11/2016 - 10:37 |
0 | 0
crabs86

Need 6 presenters to replace 3

02/11/2016 - 10:38 |
0 | 0
Turbobandit

They may be good presenters and so BUT I still don’t think it will work. You see Top Gear wad so good because the presenters were really good friends and they had chemestry between them. Sure you can gather some of the fastest drivers and automotive reviewers from around the world but it still won’t be the same. The new Top Gear looks as though it will be like the very first top gear. Just dry and boring.

02/11/2016 - 10:39 |
0 | 0

Gotta start somewhere. The trio we’ve grown to love had to develop that chemistry. There’s no reason it can’t happen again with new people.

02/11/2016 - 11:01 |
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Anonymous

Nope, this show will never be as good as the good old Top Gear staring:Clarcson,Hammond,James

02/11/2016 - 10:39 |
2 | 2
joey28

I’m only in it for Sabine and Matt “Joey” LeBlanc to be honest. Everyone else eh

02/11/2016 - 10:41 |
0 | 0