New look Top Gear

I think both sides are using a bit of spin here, at the time it was reported Evans wasn't going to do anymore TFI due to Top Gear commiments there was even some suggestion he had a golden handcuffs deal with the BBC, which at the time I thought was unlikely as they seem to have stopped doing that sort of thing in the current climate.


If anyone remembers there was no mention of it being the final episode of TFI at the end of the run, which to me seemed like a strange omission if it's the last episdoe of the series thats been dubbed the "goodbye we never had". To me at the time this suggested they were keeping their options open.

But I think realistically Channel 4 wouldn't commission more TFI until the current case is resolved, also 4 probably would want to avoid the perception he was only doing TFI because his Top Gear run was a flop. Which is a shame because to have that kind of the spontaneous feeling telly back was a good thing.

As some have said, it realy was crazy to put TG up against Euro 2016, especially with the Football having FOUR British Isles sides in it. A considerable audience overlap should have been noted at the start and the series delayed. Whether the BBC decided it had to go when it did because of the rumours around the Clarkson AZ vehicle being ready to roll and needing to get in first we'll probably never know.

Anyway the die is cast and things need to move on.

AZ = Amazon

Is that Tumble Tower-endorsed?

In a sense I'm glad they're leaving TFI on the shelf because it shows Channel 4 aren't keen to keep it going without Chris. Say what you want about him, the show would be terrible with another host.

I think the idea of doing TFI without Evans was a non-starter anyway, just used to generate tabloid headlines.

The notion of such a thing was only sparked when Chris gave Nick Grimshaw his blessing to succeed him if he ever stopped hosting it.

From BBC News, a far more reputable source than any of the red-top tabloids . . .
Channel 4: 'No plans' for TFI Friday return.


Red-top translation:
"TFI Friday AXED by Channel 4!"

Well that's a bizarre article too, as Chris Evans did say that about Grimmy in the reunion show, but then hosted the next run himself, which that article totally fails to mention.

I think once the heat has gone out of the Top Gear story and if Evans' police investigation comes to nothing, it wouldn't be too surprising to see TFI pop up again, say in 2017. But C4 don't want to get embroiled in the Top Gear/Evans row, so are just putting out that statement for now.

Interesting that Chris Harris has been given his own series, Chris Harris on Cars, to air internationally on BBC America and BBC Brit, beginning this week.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/jul/08/top-gear-chris-harris-youtube-bbc-america

Matt Le Blanc signs new two-series Top Gear deal:



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37470962

Sounds like a return to a presentation format much closer to Clarkson/Hammond/May.

I guess they were trying to avoid that the first time round for fear of looking like a pale imitation of the original - but obviously that didn't go as well as they'd hoped.

I think it was more a kind of on air audition - to see who works the best for series 2