Chris Evans has a new boss, and it sounds like she’s not too tolerant of the Top Gear host’s allegedly diva-like behavior. Of course, this is a report from The Sun, essentially a gossip tabloid. But considering the numerous reports of behind-the-scenes trouble, we aren’t recommending much salt with this story.
The BBC’s new entertainment boss, Kate Phillips is going to have a sit down with Evans later this month to discuss his alleged tantrums. – the tabloid is calling it “crisis talks”. Pushing the meeting back to the end of July gives the Beeb ammunition in the form of the worldwide viewing figures for Top Gear‘s most recent run. Phillips will reportedly draw up a plan to manage Evans’ behavior and force him to release some creative control over the show, or risk losing the hosting gig on Top Gear‘s 24th season (or series, if you prefer British English).
If Evans gets the sack, The Sun claims the BBC sees Matt LeBlanc as the show’s future. An unnamed source says the other hosts – Rory Reid, Chris Harris, Sabine Schmitz, and Eddie Jordan – would fall in with LeBlanc for an ensemble, rather than the Chris Evans-and-everyone-else format displayed earlier this season.
“Chris has annoyed a lot of the crew with his behavior and by being a control freak,” the source claims. “He’s now going to be told there will be changes and if he doesn’t like it then he should go. Matt is more well-known and popular with audiences, so Chris will take a back seat like he did towards the end of the series.”
For fans, Phillips’ lordship over Top Gear is a good thing. According to the source, she was the driving force in bringing the celebrity ballroom dancing show Strictly Come Dancing to the US as the hugely successful Dancing With The Stars. That doesn’t mean we’ll see hosts doing the foxtrot with the guest of the week, but it does mean that the show has a steward that The Sun‘s source claims “knows what makes shows successful around the world.” Sounds like just what Top Gear needs.