After months of eager anticipation Top Gear’s back on our screens this Sunday, with new lead presenter Chris Evans at the wheel, and everyone’s speculating if Evans and his co-hosts can drive (forgive the pun) the global phenomenon, and £50m franchise, which is Top Gear into a new era as the programme prepares to mark 40 years on our screens next year.
There’s no doubt that viewing figures for Sunday’s show will be huge with people keen to find out if Evans can replicate the success and popularity of Clarkson, Hammond and May. However with many national newspapers banned from the first recording of the series, little is known about the new format and what to expect – or is it? Always ahead of the race Superdream was in the audience. We’re not going to spoil it for you, but if you haven’t seen any already published reviews, turn away now!
Standing with the other audience members in the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey the new set is definitely bigger and more impressive than ever before. The chemistry between Evans and Le Blanc is great, both on and off camera. If Le Blanc ever thought he could get away from his TV alter ego Mr Joey Tribbiani, whilst on the set of Top Gear, then he was mistaken – we were all eagerly awaiting a “how you doin” at some point during the recording and he delivered. – even if it wasn’t on camera.
Die-hard Top Gear and Clarkson fans need not worry, whilst there are new twists to the show, the programme retains popular features including ‘Star in the Reasonably Priced Car’, but there we’re going to leave it, and let you enjoy the first in the new series and discover the new format for yourself.
So will Evans manage to win over the many cynics out there? Yes of course he will. A few weeks down the line memories of his predecessors will fade into the distance and he’ll be accepted as the new Mr Top Gear. The programme is all about cars after all, and there’s no doubt the new presenting team were chosen for their passion and expertise on this subject. Things needs to evolve, and change is good. Jeremy who? And on that bombshell…