Matt LeBlanc quits Top Gear as he’s tyred out with the pace

TOP GEAR host Matt LeBlanc has quit, telling fans: ‘Thanks for a great drive’.

The ex-Friends star will motor off the BBC Two car show at the end of the next series because it is too demanding.

In a statement, LeBlanc, who joined the show in 2016, said his ‘experience on Top Gear has been great fun’ and that he has ‘thoroughly enjoyed working with the whole team’.

But he added: ‘The time commitment and extensive travel required to present Top Gear takes me away from my family and friends more than I’m comfortable with.

‘It’s unfortunate but for these reasons I will not be continuing my involvement with the show.

‘I will forever be a Top Gear fan and I wish the team continued success. Thanks for a great drive.’

LeBlanc, 50, will present his fourth and final series later this year.

The American actor was a surprise addition to the Top Gear presenting line-up two years ago, joining Chris Evans following the departure of previous hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. He continued hosting the show when Evans threw in the towel after one series.

Evans said at the time that LeBlanc was the ‘captain’ and backed him staying on the programme, while viewers praised his efforts when he returned without the BBC Radio 2 DJ.

LeBlanc, who is also known for his role in sitcom Episodes, has been joined by co-hosts Chris Harris and Rory Reid in recent series.

Patrick Holland, BBC Two controller, said: ‘Matt has thrown himself into the show with real passion, revealing his extraordinary car knowledge and a willingness to get down and dirty.

‘We were always going to be borrowing him from his day job as one of the top comic actors in Hollywood’.

Author: Lucy Mapstone