Jodie Kidd has revealed that Jeremy Clarkson warned her she would be "hated" by fans if she replaced him, James May and Richard Hammond on the BBC's Top Gear.
The model, who had become close friends with Clarkson after appearing on the show, said he gave her blunt advice when she asked about succeeding the trio.
Friendship and a Stark Warning
Kidd first met Clarkson at a London event before featuring on Top Gear's 'Star in a Reasonably Priced Car' segment in 2003. Her 1 minute 48 second lap in a Suzuki Liana made her the fastest celebrity driver at the time around Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey.
Speaking to the Cars and Money YouTube channel, she recalled: "There was talks (of hosting the show), but I obviously got a very close relationship with Jezza from that moment onwards, and he became a very good friend, and when they left, there was names bouncing around, I was one of them."
She added: "There was initial talks, but I spoke to him and he was like: 'Look, Jodes, you can go and do the best job, you can do an amazing film, you'll be a great host, but you're going to get hated. It's going to be a tough, tough job.'"
Who Took Over Top Gear
Clarkson, 66, was dismissed by the BBC in 2015 for assaulting a producer, with Hammond and May resigning in support. Kidd was among the frontrunners according to bookmakers to succeed the trio.
Ultimately, radio presenter Chris Evans and former Friends actor Matt LeBlanc were confirmed as the new presenters, with Chris Harris, Sabine Schmitz, Rory Reid and Eddie Jordan providing support. Evans stepped down after just one series following widespread negative reception.
Kidd said: "When Chris (Evans) took over, it was a very tough gig, to go in, and replace those three. No one is ever going to replace those three. People hate change, and especially such a brilliant dynamic the three of them had. I think there was still a lot of negativity with how Jezza departed from the BBC."
Future of the Show
The BBC has confirmed Top Gear will return following an extended hiatus after Andrew Flintoff's serious accident at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in December 2022, which required an air ambulance transfer to hospital.
Asked whether she would consider a presenting position for the relaunched show, Kidd said it would mean setting aside her YouTube project, Kidd in a Sweet Shop, which allows her to indulge her enthusiasm for high-performance cars.
She said: "I love Kidd in a Sweet Shop. I've worked so hard to get that up and to get that you know where it is today. Obviously if I was to do Top Gear, it would be something that I'd have to have to put to bed, which I don't really want to do. So, I don't know. But, you know, it's one of those things that that it is an incredible show and I really think that people miss a Sunday night terrestrial car show."
