Matt LeBlanc Is Allegedly Threatening To Quit Top Gear If Chris Evans Doesn't Go First
With Top Gear nearing the end of its first series under the stewardship of Chris Evans, there’s yet another newspaper report claiming to know of trouble behind the scenes. According to The Sun, co-star Matt LeBlanc isn’t happy with the way in which Evans is treating the Top Gear team.
“The team does not gel at all, and the atmosphere between the presenters is decidedly frosty,” The Sun quotes its unnamed ‘show source’ as saying, adding: “Matt has already indicated that he won’t continue on any further series if Chris remains a part of it. And he is far from the only one who isn’t happy.”
The source also claims that Evans is “jealous” of the superior critical reception of co-stars Chris Harris and Rory Reid and “doesn’t encourage them in any way.”
Of course, The Sun isn’t known for being a bastion of accuracy or impartial reporting, so all of this could turn out to be utter nonsense. Indeed, many newspapers also reported on Evans taking a smaller role to allow more screen time for the better received Harris and Reid, something we know to be complete BS as the pair appearing in each of the final four episodes was always part of the plan - the segments are filmed months in advance and Reid told us as much in an interview weeks ago.
Tabloid reports of trouble behind the scenes aside, it’s not all bad news for the show. Episode five had a good mix of interesting features - Reid’s Jaguar F-Type SVR piece was a highlight - and after a decline in overnight audience figures for every episode, ratings have started to go back up for the first time. The show had fallen from 4.4 to 2.3 million viewers from the first episode to the fourth, but episode five netted 2.7 million.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
Whatever… The old trio was still better
Good if evans leaves it would be alot better
We need an evexit, a saxit and joxit, but the other guys are good
This was originally reported by The Sun, I’m sure it’s totally legitimate…
Chris Evans should leave. Alex Kirsten would be a perfect candidate to replace Evans
Matt, Good chris and rory are the 3 reasons I watch top gear 2
Watching the later episodes I thought I could see Chris Evans and Matt Le Blonc showing quite a lot of of tension towards Reid and Harris. Could be in my head but that was my observation of the dialog being exchanged between presenters. It seems to me like maybe Evans and Le Blonc are a little scared of Reid and Harris… Here’s me hoping that extra gear was just a ploy designed to allow Harris and Reid to hone in their skills as presenters before letting them take Top Gear by the reigns… who knows?
Doesn’t Matt LeBlanc have better things to do, I’m pretty sure Ross is with Rachael again..
Leblanc is only relatively better than Evans….
That F-type piece had so much potential, but was lost in Rory just blabbering, making absolutely no sense. Kinda feel sorry for the bloke who did the job back in 1961.
LeBlanc is really growing on me - and my girlfriend digs him. No surprises there.
LeBlanc > Evans all day.