It's ludicrous that the BBC is even attempting this, but it's completely unsurprising given the sheer amount of profit the show makes (Top Gear is the most widely watched factual television show in the world). In 2016, Top Gear is set to see something of a reboot, following the exit of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. Radio presenter Chris Evans is set to take on hosting duties, but he's got an extremely thankless task ahead of him. For a start, much of the show's popularity relied on the chemistry between Clarkson, Hammond and May, something that it's just impossible to replicate. Though many tuned in for the car stuff, just as many tuned in to see the three presenters joke around and poke fun at one another. Over the years, their personas and relationship became the most bankable part of the whole show. Not only that, but many reacted to Clarkson's dismissal (Clarkson was fired after an incident with one of the show's producers) extremely personally, vehemently defending the host, or at the very least laughing along with him. Evans, then, doesn't just have to try and prop up a television show, he has to try and win over people predisposed to not liking him. On top of that, rumours emerged at the close of 2015 that the show was suffering difficulties behind the scenes, including key staff quitting (apparently the show's executive producer Lisa Clark is gone) and that Evans had crashed an expensive Jaguar on his first lap around a course during filming. Sounds like everything is going well.
