'Control Freak' Chris Evans' 'Dictatorial Behaviour on Top Gear Set Forced YET Another Producer To Quit..
- AND He DIDN'T Want to Hire Matt Le Blanc'...
- Chris Evans's 'control freak' behaviour reportedly forced Lisa Clark to quit
- It has also been claimed that he didn't want Matt Le Blanc as a presenter
- The show's first episode has been delayed again until May 22
- The BBC has declined to comment on the allegations and said it's 'gossip'
Daily Mail UK, 28 February 2016
Chris Evans's 'control freak' and 'dictatorial behaviour' on Top Gear reportedly forced the new producer to quit and led to the delay of the relaunch.
It has also been claimed that he questioned the idea of having former Friends star Matt Le Blanc on the show.
The new production was thrown into a 'certain amount of disarray' after the show's executive producer Lisa Clark in December.
Today, it has emerged that Clark, felt her position had become untenable after warning Evans that filming on the series was behind schedule.
A source told The Sun UK :
'Evans didn't normally turn up to a lot of meetings, but at this one he said he had completed some footage with Jenson Button.
'Lisa replied, "Yes but we need to make more than 30 films. It's not enough". He shot her a look for undermining him and she was soon gone.'
She was hired following the departure of Andy Wilman, who will join the old Top Gear presenting line-up of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May on their new Amazon motoring show.
In a statement announcing her departure in December, she said: 'After an extremely busy five months I am moving on from Top Gear to new projects which I will be announcing in the new year.
'I'd like to wish production all the very best with the show.'
At the time, a BBC statement said:
'We'd like to thank Lisa for all her incredible work over the last five months readying new Top Gear for its busy filming schedule in 2016 and planned return in May.'
The new production was thrown into a 'certain amount of disarray' after the show's executive producer Lisa Clark quit in December 2015
.
It has been said that Clark had suggested Le Blanc as a new presenter, but Evans didn't seem keen on the idea.
The source said: 'It was Lisa who suggested Matt, but Evans' reply was, "He's old hat, what do we want him for?".'
When contacted by MailOnline the
BBC declined to comment on what they described as 'gossip'.
LeBlanc, left, and Evans, right, raced to Blackpool in a pair of three-wheeled Renault Rialtos from the 1980s
Filming on the new BBC Top Gear featuring Chris Evans, left, Matt LeBlanc, right, have been hit by delays which has forced the team to abandon the planned original transmission date of 8 May
Yesterday it was revealed that the team will broadcast the first show featuring the new line up on May 22.
BBC bosses had hoped the new eight-episode series would be premiered on May 8, but this date has been abandoned.
However, due to 'filming difficulties',
they have been forced to reduce the length of the series from eight episodes to just six.
Evans announced the May 8 target date while appearing on BBC One Saturday Kitchen in November.
But within weeks, he was hit with the loss of his executive producer Clark.
A spokesman for the BBC said: 'We never confirm scheduling details this far out and we won't be for Top Gear.
'We've always said we were working towards a May transmission for Top Gear and further detail on the transmission date and series structure will follow nearer the time.'
Evans and LeBlanc completed their first road trip to Blackpool UK, while the previous hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond jetted off to Barbados to film an episode of their new Amazon Prime show
Following his first couple of days filming with new co-star Matt LeBlanc, Evans said they were the: 'modern style odd couple'.
The pair have just completed their first challenge for the BBC show - a UK v USA race from London to Blackpool in Reliant Rialtos, emblazoned with their respective country's flags.
LeBlanc hinted that another task would see the pair 'in the woods, testing a couple of icons'.
Evans said he wanted LeBlanc, best known, as an actor for playing Joey Tribbiani in Friends for 10 years, to join the Top Gear team because 'he loves his cars'.
He said: 'He knows so much about his cars, he's a brilliant driver and he's a world star, and that's very important for Top Gear.
'Also the transatlantic connection, we are very much like a modern style odd couple, completely different on first impressions but actually we've got an awful lot in common.'
During the race, LeBlanc's car, centre, broke down on the trip north and had to be towed away
END
UPDATE:
Need a Spare Tyre? Not a Problem for Jeremy Clarkson As He Shows Off His Flabby Figure on Caribbean Jaunt With Top Gear Pals
Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond in the Caribbean
The trio were there to record their new Amazon Prime motoring show
They appeared to be making the most of the show’s £160million budget
Daily Mail UK, 29 February 2016
With the punch incident behind him, a rather more pressing matter for Jeremy Clarkson seems to be...
He sported an impressive appearance – with his former Top Gear co-hosts while filming in the Caribbean.
So with the drama finally behind him, the shirtless star enjoyed the sun in a pair of blue patterned shorts as he joined Richard Hammond and James May in Barbados to record their new Amazon Prime motoring show.
It came days after the 55-year-old referred to himself as ‘a 6ft 5in beluga whale with idiotic tanlines’.
And the trio appeared to be making the most of the show’s £160million budget, with one source claiming it was more like a ‘lads’ holiday’ as they rode hover boards and jet skis.
.
With the punch incident behind him, a rather more pressing matter for Jeremy Clarkson seems to be...
He sported an impressive appearance – with his former Top Gear co-hosts while filming in the Caribbean.
So with the drama finally behind him, the shirtless star enjoyed the sun in a pair of blue patterned shorts as he joined Richard Hammond and James May in Barbados to record their new Amazon Prime motoring show.
It came days after the 55-year-old referred to himself as ‘a 6ft 5in beluga whale with idiotic tanlines’.
And the trio appeared to be making the most of the show’s £160million budget:
The old Top Gear crew, Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, shot their as yet untitled new series in tropical Barbados
.