Top Gear hosts return for Season 24

The BBC has today confirmed Matt LeBlanc will return as the main host of a new season of Top Gear, appearing for the first time without polarising co-host Chris Evans. 

The American actor - best known for his work on long-running sitcom Friends - will once again take up main hosting duties when the motoring show returns for Season 24 next year. Regular cast-mates Chris Harris and Rory Reid appear to have been bumped up to co-hosting duties, while Eddie Jordan, Sabine Schmitz and The Stig will continue to appear in a smaller capacity.

The Top Gear TV format was revamped following the departure of long-time hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond (following the infamous "hot-food fracas"), with LeBlanc and Evans touted as the new face of the program. But following Evans' controversial departure after just one season amid rumours of in-fighting between cast and crew, the BBC were forced to shake up hosting duties once again.

“Matt was hugely popular with Top Gear viewers last series with his humour, warmth and obvious passion for cars and for the show, so I couldn’t be more delighted that he’s agreed to come back and do more for us," said Mark Linsey, Director, BBC Studios, in a statement today.

So far, the BBC has had clear air to bed-in its new-look Top Gear, but they will soon face stiff competition from the show's former hosts, with Clarkson, Hammond and May's Amazon program, The Grand Tour, scheduled to air on November 18. In unfortunate for timing for the BBC, their announcement comes hours after Clarkson and his show's Executive Producer Andy Wilman released a guided tour of their show's new studio to celebrate the filming of their first episode. Their last YouTube clip, a four minute video of Clarkson attempting to assemble a packing box, was watched more than 1.8 million times.

Do you think Top Gear can regain its former glory? Tell us what you think in the comments below.