ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

People Think 'Top Gear' Should Have Ended When Jeremy Clarkson And Co. Left

People Think 'Top Gear' Should Have Ended When Jeremy Clarkson And Co. Left

With new hosts revealed, people are reminiscing on old times

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

So, we found out earlier this morning that Freddie Flintoff and Paddy McGuinness will be the new hosts of Top Gear and it's left people questioning why the programme didn't end when Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May left... again.

First of all Chris Evans, David Coulthard, Sabine Schmitz - a host from the German edition of the show - and Chris Harris were appointed and everyone was questioning why it didn't finish following the dismissal of Clarkson and subsequent departure of May and Hammond.

PA

Then Friends actor, Matt LeBlanc, took over from Chris Evans and people started all over again.

But what about the figures? Well, according to the BBC, the finale of series 24 (with Joey Tribbiani hosting) saw around 1.9 million people tuning in, a stark difference from the 2.8m when the series launched.

In comparison, when Chris Evans was there, Top Gear had an opener with 4.4m viewers but that more than halved by the end, with 1.9m tuning in to the final episode.

The BBC reported that no episode in the Clarkson era had less than 2m viewers. Indeed, an impressive 5.3m watched the trio's farewell in 2015 - a figure that none of the presenting line-ups have come close to since.

People were vocal with their thoughts on the news that Flintoff and McGuinness will be next hosts to take over the show.

PA

One said: "It's not Top Gear without Clarkson, May and Hammond don't care what anyone says."

Another added: "Just let it die already and watch The Grand Tour with the rest of the real Top Gear fans."

And a third commented: "Face up to it BBC you fucked it up royally. What made Top Gear was the presenters. Keep swapping them around as much as you like you'll never find any to compare with the originals."

I don't think he means the actual originals because we all know it's been around since 1977 and was presented by Angela Rippon and Tom Coyne... didn't we?

Someone else said: "Why don't they just scrap it now rather than trying to drag it out it's done already it's never gonna be the same as it was May, Hammond and Clarkson made the show."

Yes, Hammond was sort of annoying, Clarkson couldn't go a week without causing outrage and May had terrible hair (he'd probably agree).

But with those elements combined, it created a dynamic similar to a real friendship - meaning the show's success lay at the feet of three mates who had chemistry when they were in front of the camera.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: richard hammond, james may, Entertainment, TV and Film, Celebrity, Paddy McGuinness, Jeremy Clarkson