Top Gear’s Matt LeBlanc says he’s ready for viewers to turn on him now Chris Evans has left the show
But he adds that he's enjoying getting to know his new crew Chris Harris and Rory Reid
Now that they’ve Chris-ed goodbye to Evans, Matt LeBlanc, Chris Harris and Rory Reid hope a full-body service and that trademark formula – a presenting trio – will shift the show back into Top Gear...
We’ve seen the first episode and it feels very much like Top Gear used to – three hosts with a fun rivalry, genuine banter, driving in amazing locations around the world and delivering hilarious, big-budget stunts. It’s obviously very different from last year.
It’s myself, Chris Harris and Rory Reid all driving cars. There will be plenty of beautiful images of the cars sliding and all the technical talk, but there will also be a comedy element. My background is comedy and I like to find the balance between the car porn, if you will, and the technical side. It’s been a lot of fun – on a scale of one to 10, I would definitely say 10. It really is more than just driving fun cars.You get to travel around the world, work with a great team of people and learn about the industry. The quality of films we make with the budget we have is – and I have been in the industry a long time now – extraordinary.
The show got a lot of criticism last year, did that upset you?
It was fun, the films were good, the studio portion was great and the people had a good time, so I didn’t have a problem with it, really. I think a lot of the things that were said were unfair. I also think some of the things said about me last year were unfair and I won’t comment on them now, nor will I ever.
Is it true you asked Chris Evans to resign?
I read it and I didn’t know it was coming. I also read that I forced him out and that’s not true. I didn’t have anything to do with it. Whatever his reasons were, he gave the statement. It was all very clear.
Did you ever consider leaving Top Gear?
No. I have made a commitment to the show and I’m having a great time. It’s really fun and we’ve got a good team. In my opinion, if you are having fun making a show, it’s generally interesting to watch.
Now that Chris has gone, are you worried about viewers turning on you?
I’m certainly prepared for a lot of that to land in my frigging lap now! But we will see. If people are going to throw rocks at whatever they want to throw rocks at, all you can do is hope they won’t hit you on the head!
What are your co-presenters Chris and Rory like?
Chris has this vocabulary that I need a pocket dictionary for! He is one of the smartest people I’ve ever met, just so accurate with description and adjectives. And Rory has this boyish quality to him that gives the audience a voyeuristic view of what we are doing. He has this bright-eyed excitement about it all, which is endearing and fun to be around. When we experienced some culinary trials in Kazakhstan, however, we found out about Rory’s weak stomach…
“We’re a trio now,” says Rory Reid, 37
“This year is so different. We have figured out the things that worked last season and been able to fine-tune them.
I have learnt to do what Matt says!
Chris and I aren’t lone soldiers any more, we are doing challenges together and having fun as a trio. But Kazakhstan was tough – Matt and Chris tried to get me to eat a sheep’s head!
It was -15°C and my car didn’t have a working heater. It got to the point where even my bottle of water had frozen solid.”
What are the three of you like when you’re together? Is there more banter between you this year?
What people forget is that for the three guys who were on the show before us [Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond], it took them a while to build up a rapport.This is now the first season with just the three of us, but we are starting to click. And there is a lot more drinking now!
Speaking of Jeremy, James and Richard, have you watched them on The Grand Tour [on Amazon Prime Video]?
I have caught some bits of it. It is what it is. It’s those guys. They’re great.
Is the new series going to be all about modern fast cars, or do you drive some retro machinery as well?
We drive second-hand cars too, which we did in Kazakhstan. The great thing about Top Gear is that any ideas start with the car, and for that reason I believe in this show, I really do.
“We knew we were in for a hard time,” says Chris Harris, 42
“This is my dream job, but I am a student child of the 90s and I spent most of that decade slobbing in front of VHS tapes watching Matt [as Joey Tribbiani in Friends], so it’s quite bizarre to be doing this [with him]. But life is a bit weird.
It is intimidating for about three seconds, then he gives you a big bear hug and you realise you have got lots in common as you both like cars.
He is a great bloke and amusing to work with.
Did I get upset over last year’s criticism of the show? My career started on the internet [Chris’ YouTube channel has over 375,000 subscribers] – you should experience the YouTubers!
There were bits of the show that were better than others, but we knew we were in for a hard time whatever happened.
We could have produced the single finest programme on television but would have had some grief for it because of the legacy issues. We went into the show knowing that.
We don’t want controversy on Top Gear.
It’s a car show. We are not the UN or solving Third World debt. We are making entertainment with cars.
If a windscreen gets shattered every now and again, we say sorry and buy a new windscreen.”
When you race Chris and Rory, do you demand the best car?
Actually, it tends to be the faster the car, the greater the odds that Chris will be driving it. We have a team doing our stunts, so some of it is me sliding, some of it isn’t. In the name of entertainment, that’s what we are here to do – make a car show. I do as much as I can, but am I a pro driver? No.
You also star in Episodes and US sitcom Man With A Plan – how does presenting compare to acting?
I look at it like any role – act like a presenter! It’s pretty straightforward. My background is comedy so I am the first person to crack a joke at a funeral. It’s really fun to find a balance between car porn and what the show can be with the beautiful images of the cars sliding and the technical aspect of it. For me, the jokes are as important as the cars.
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