Air bag: Top Gear needs new content, not old presenters

Chris Evans’s three-year contract is looking like a really bad idea. But whatever happens to what once was the world’s most popular factual television show, let us not forget one thing: firing Jeremy Clarkson was the right thing to do.

From left, new presenters Matt LeBlanc and Chris Evans with The Stig in Top Gear. Courtesy BBC Worldwide

This time last year, there was no escaping the TV show Top Gear. The BBC's firing of main host Jeremy Clarkson was one of the corporation's most controversial decisions and, to read the comments of seriously disgruntled viewers, you'd have thought that life was over. "No Clarkson, no Top Gear," declared the fans.

For these viewers, Top Gear began and ended with a tall, curly-haired, racist bully who had been "sailing close to the wind" with his employer for years. When he was freed of his contract with the Beeb, nobody was surprised, but there really was no other option. He had verbally and physically abused a member of staff while at work – something that no company can tolerate, particularly when it is funded by the public.

And now the furore is back, because the "new" Top Gear is into its second show of the season, and viewers are not happy. While Clarkson and co-presenters, Richard Hammond and James May, are busy putting the final touches to a new show, called The Grand Tour, the BBC has relaunched Top Gear with new hosts and precious little in the way of new ideas.

Chris Evans, Top Gear's new main presenter, is a veteran broadcaster and an extremely talented producer. He made much of his fortune in the 1990s by conceptualising popular TV shows in the UK, such as Don't Forget Your Toothbrush and TFI Friday, and has been in and out of the headlines – often for the wrong reasons – for more than 20 years. But until Top Gear, Evans was a Britain-only phenomenon. Top Gear, however, has for years been the BBC's biggest worldwide export, so the entire planet knows Clarkson, May and Hammond. For those three to be replaced by unknowns was never going to go down well with overseas audiences, particularly in the United States, where Clarkson enjoys almost mythical status for his political incorrectness. And so it has come to pass. "New" Top Gear is a disappointment.

Evans does seem to shout a lot and tries to imitate Clarkson’s delivery and, despite his many years of experience, seems to be uncomfortable in his new role – perhaps the enormity of his ­challenge is taking its toll. Co-presenter Matt LeBlanc is wooden in the studio, but better on location, while the rest of the crew appears underutilised. Regular sections of the show have been mildly remixed and the glorious cinematography is as stunning as ever. It’s not a terrible show; it’s just a pale imitation.

What armchair pundits around the world often fail to understand is that Top Gear existed ­before Clarkson took over in 2002 – in fact, it had been going for 27 years as a conventional motoring show. After its 2002 reboot, it became an entertainment show with little relevance to motoring as we know it. But my goodness, it was funny.

As talented as Clarkson undoubtedly is, however, it was the hiring of Richard Porter that made it so hilarious. He was credited as "script editor", but in reality was the one who made us all laugh – he is a comedy genius. Perhaps if Porter were hired again, the new show would have a fighting chance. As it is, however, Evans's three-year contract is looking like a really bad idea. But whatever happens to what once was the world's most popular factual television show, let us not forget one thing: firing Jeremy Clarkson was the right thing to do. If you want to blame anyone for the current state of Top Gear, you need look no further.