The BBC has officially confirmed that Top Gear is returning, four years after the show was taken off air following a crash involving host Freddie Flintoff.
Ed Havard, the BBC’s director of entertainment, told audiences at the Edinburgh TV Festival that “Top Gear is coming back.”
New host rumours
While no official announcements have been made, reports suggest the BBC is already in talks with at least two new hosts. Comedian Jimmy Carr is reportedly in negotiations with the BBC about taking over hosting duties, although Ed Havard declined to comment on those reports.
It has also been suggested that former rugby player Joe Marler, known for his appearance on Celebrity Traitors, could join Carr in the driving seat. However, no deals have been signed at this time.
BBC executives speak out
Kate Phillip, BBC Chief Content Officer, also at the TV festival, addressed the speculation: “There’s been a lot of speculation about [Top Gear’s return]. We can confirm Top Gear is coming back. I won’t talk about talent. Jimmy [Carr] would be a great host, but we are not discussing talent today.”
Top Gear has been off the air since December 18, 2022, after a high-speed crash involving Freddie Flintoff. Following the incident, the BBC announced the show would not return “for the foreseeable future,” stating it had “decided to rest the UK show.”
The BBC added: “[We] remain committed to Freddie, Chris and Paddy who have been at the heart of the show’s renaissance since 2019, and we’re excited about new projects being developed with each of them. We will have more to say in the near future on this. We know resting the show will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right thing to do.”
