Chris Evans says Top Gear gossip is a ‘perfect storm’

Chris Evans has described gossip about the revamped Top Gear as the “perfect storm”.

Evans – who replaced Jeremy Clarkson on the BBC motoring show after he was axed following a ‘fracas’ with producer Oisin Tymon – said for “certain aspects of the media” the new line-up was “a story they could play with”.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast he said: “I think for certain aspects of the media this was the perfect storm. The things they started with were so mad and so made up I thought: ‘Where is this going to go?’”

Despite the negative press the Radio 2 host said he is “genuinely excited” for the launch – but added that he was paranoid about Clarkson’s new Amazon Prime show.

Voicing his concerns he said: "I've got to make a programme, I've got to make scripts, I've got to find people, I've got to think about locations, what cars to get - why can't we get this car? Did they not like it? Have they given it to the other guys? All that kind of stuff, and there's no room of excitement to get in there."

Louise Minchin asked: "So you were worried they gave cars to the other guys," to which Evans replied: "Of course! A bit of paranoia, healthy paranoia."

His comments come days after co-host Matt LeBlanc slammed reports that he is ‘at war’ with Evans as a "big load of b*******."

It was reported that the relationship between the two had ‘deteriorated’ after LeBlanc was filmed doing 'doughnuts' near the Cenotaph, which Evans reportedly feared had ‘damaged’ the brand.

Rubbishing the claims, he told Radio Times: "All this stuff that Chris and I are at war with each other is a big load of b*******. We've never had a rift!

"I'm a true car fan, Chris is a true car fan. We're hanging out, having a laugh, doing our best.”

Top Gear returns to BBC2 on Sunday at 8pm.

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