Top dog

Matt LeBlanc gets behind the wheel as Top Gear returns.

Many people were delighted when a car-mad Chris Evans was chosen to steer Top Gear through the chicane left by Jeremy Clarkson’s dramatic departure from the hit motoring show.

But while Evans failed this particular driving test, his unlikely co-host, Matt LeBlanc, proved to be a revelation.

Now, following Evans’ exit, the former Friends actor leads the slimmed-down presenting team for series two, alongside Rory Reid and Chris Harris.

TV&Satellite Week caught up with the 49-year-old during the filming of the show, and it soon became clear that he feels the brutal press and fan reaction to the revamp was unnecessary.

‘It’s just my personal opinion, but I thought last season was alright. It wasn’t as bad as people said it was,’ he says. ‘It was fun and entertaining, the films were good, and I didn’t have a problem with it. A lot of the things written about the show were unfair.’

Among the criticism were persistent rumours that LeBlanc and Evans had a difficult working relationship, and the Episodes star reveals he only learned of his co-host’s resignation when it was reported in the press.

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