Matt LeBlanc announced as Top Gear co-presenter

Matt LeBlanc announced as Top Gear co-presenter

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Discussion

Shakermaker

11,317 posts

100 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
quotequote all
Clearly the most contentious issue for the last 11 months now amongst Petrolheads is what is going to happen to Top Gear?

I don't get why people cannot fathom that things change, shows change, life goes on, but still, at every turn, this generates million-post long threads on forums and facebook and everything.

If you like "old" Top Gear from the 80s/90s, then there's nothing really filling that gap right now

If you like "new" Top Gear then worry not because you can watch it on Amazon later this year.

But "future" Top Gear is yet to air, and everyone is already moaning about choices made, rather than deciding after watching it. I will watch it. If I like it, I will watch it again, if I don't, then I won't.

And that's all everyone needs to do, rather than the hundreds of angry rants I have seen everywhere that "It won't be the same again!" etc, but fail to realise they will get the show they like just on a different channel/platform??

Mr_B

10,480 posts

243 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
quotequote all
ukaskew said:
griffsomething said:
I thought Chris Harris and Sabine Schmitz were confirmed last year?!
By the Daily Mail.

Would love to dredge up some of the comments when James May first appeared on Top Gear. If I remember correctly people were not at all kind.
Schmitz was seen filming with Evans in the US in the new Audi,so seems she's at least part of it. Not seen anything of Harris yet or indeed any confirmation of any kind. Anyone else ?

Shakermaker

11,317 posts

100 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
quotequote all
Durzel said:
I'm cautiously optimistic.

It won't be the Top Gear we're used to, but it never would've been with any new cast that wasn't specifically trying to act a specific way. People seem to be assuming that the new show has to be a simulacrum of the outgoing one, when it could just be another show. Lest we forget that Top Gear has already been "rebooted" in the past.

I reckon give it a chance.. having a rebooted Top Gear doesn't subtract from anything that was previously broadcast or watchable on Dave, iPlayer, etc. And Jezza and co. are on Amazon.
We obviously had the same thought at the same time...

Disastrous

10,081 posts

217 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
quotequote all
CRB14 said:
People, myself included, won't stand for an american on TG.
rofl

Brilliant.

Mafffew

2,149 posts

111 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
quotequote all
Mr_B said:
ukaskew said:
griffsomething said:
I thought Chris Harris and Sabine Schmitz were confirmed last year?!
By the Daily Mail.

Would love to dredge up some of the comments when James May first appeared on Top Gear. If I remember correctly people were not at all kind.
Schmitz was seen filming with Evans in the US in the new Audi,so seems she's at least part of it. Not seen anything of Harris yet or indeed any confirmation of any kind. Anyone else ?
He is closing his Patreon account, which is odd. But doesn't confirm anything.

Killer2005

19,634 posts

228 months

patmahe

5,749 posts

204 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
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Not sure why, but I reckon he'll actually be quite good at this. At least he's and actual enthusiast rather than just a presenter.

castex

4,936 posts

273 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
quotequote all

johnxjsc1985

15,948 posts

164 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
quotequote all
I guess time will tell what Top Gear will look like in the near future. It doesn't really matter at this point what names are in the programme we will need to view it to see what the BBC have in mind.

CRB14

1,493 posts

152 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
quotequote all
BJG1 said:
OMG not an American!!!!!!!!

Get a life.
I don't have a problem with Americans but tell me the last successful american TV presenter on British TV. It's a different world. If you'd seen the US version of TG you'd know. It's utter garbage.

Summit_Detailing

1,889 posts

193 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
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A great appointment, looking forward to seeing who else will be confirmed (officially) and the subsequent new series.

Chris

annodomini2

6,861 posts

251 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
quotequote all
Really depends on what the new format of the show will be like, I personally thinks it's obvious that it won't be the same.

Whether it will work or not remains to be seen.

CRB14

1,493 posts

152 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
quotequote all
Shakermaker said:
Clearly the most contentious issue for the last 11 months now amongst Petrolheads is what is going to happen to Top Gear?

I don't get why people cannot fathom that things change, shows change, life goes on, but still, at every turn, this generates million-post long threads on forums and facebook and everything.

If you like "old" Top Gear from the 80s/90s, then there's nothing really filling that gap right now

If you like "new" Top Gear then worry not because you can watch it on Amazon later this year.

But "future" Top Gear is yet to air, and everyone is already moaning about choices made, rather than deciding after watching it. I will watch it. If I like it, I will watch it again, if I don't, then I won't.

And that's all everyone needs to do, rather than the hundreds of angry rants I have seen everywhere that "It won't be the same again!" etc, but fail to realise they will get the show they like just on a different channel/platform??
The beeb has milked Top Gear for years now and it's down to the revenue it generates. They're just living off the name now and fair play to them but personally i think they should have closed shop and gone on to something new and innovative. Using the old brand name was always going to draw comparisons. Even at times during the last few series it felt like they were just trying a bit too hard but then they seemed to click again during the final series.

The beeb are just trying to flog a dead horse....all IMO obviously.

Cotty

39,529 posts

284 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
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Random

ewenm

28,506 posts

245 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
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I'm entertained that the BBC article refers to "cast members" - at least they admit it's all acting and fiction thumbup

Europa1

10,923 posts

188 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
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IrishAsal said:
Just bring back the original cast sans Clarkson and it'd be a great show. Even as a little boy I loathed Clarkson and always relished when Tiff or Wilson were on board.

I think Harris is the best motoring journalist working today (and to be honest, probably ever, I just enjoyed motoring journalism more when I was a kid). Stick VBH on top and I'd actually watch TG again.
You do know what happened to the original Top Gear and then Fifth Gear?

Lordbenny

8,583 posts

219 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
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As long as he doesn't start using phrases like hood, fender, trunk and alooominum we should be ok!

I though Monkey Harris was going to be on the show?

Truckosaurus

11,275 posts

284 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
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I suspect the new format will have a larger number of presenters than old-TG with it being very rare to have more than 2 of them together for any single story/item/race (2 people in a car is easy to film).

For Good or ill, the new-TG with have Evans as the announcer/MC/presenter similar to how 'The One Show' works.

unrepentant

21,256 posts

256 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
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I can only assume that they have gone for LeBlanc to appeal to the audience on this side of the pond where TG was very popular. LeBlanc is not particularly popular here though......... The reason TG was popular in the US is the same reason it was popular in Britain - blokey banter and in particular Clarkson. I can't see Evans and LeBlanc coming close.

CaptainSlow

13,179 posts

212 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
quotequote all
Europa1 said:
morgrp said:
CaptainSlow said:
I always thought they should ask Guy Martin.
There is no way Guy would ever agree to do it
Someone bit on the hook.
I got three smile