Exclusive: The BBC has achieved something few could have predicted a couple of years ago: it has revved new life into the faltering global brand that was Top Gear — and in doing so, proved that there is enough room on the road for more than one big car show.
The chemistry between new hosts Andrew Flintoff, Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness has turbocharged the show’s ratings in the UK, meaning last year’s season crossed the finish line with 3.8M viewers, some 1.5M ahead of the previous Matt LeBlanc-fronted season. And the engine was still purring for the premiere of Season 28 last weekend.
This return to growth prompted BBC Two controller Patrick Holland to observe that Top Gear has shed its baggage, including any lingering doubts about its viability without the men who made it a global sensation: Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May, and former showrunner Andy Wilman.
The chemistry between new hosts Andrew Flintoff, Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness has turbocharged the show’s ratings in the UK, meaning last year’s season crossed the finish line with 3.8M viewers, some 1.5M ahead of the previous Matt LeBlanc-fronted season. And the engine was still purring for the premiere of Season 28 last weekend.
This return to growth prompted BBC Two controller Patrick Holland to observe that Top Gear has shed its baggage, including any lingering doubts about its viability without the men who made it a global sensation: Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May, and former showrunner Andy Wilman.
- 1/31/2020
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Top Gear, the iconic British celebration of cars and camaraderie, is back for a 27th season, which premieres in the Us on BBC America July 14. This season has a somewhat new look, with two new co-hosts, cricketer Freddie Flintoff and comedian Paddy McGuinness, joining Chris Harris, who has been on
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Other Links From TVGuide.com Top GearChris HarrisFreddie FlintoffPaddy McGuinness...
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Other Links From TVGuide.com Top GearChris HarrisFreddie FlintoffPaddy McGuinness...
- 7/14/2019
- by Liam Mathews
- TVGuide - Breaking News
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