The wheels have come off of the BBC's attempted relaunch of its Top Gear motoring magazine show brand with new presenter Chris Evans who've quit after just 6 episodes of the new show saying he gave it his best shot but it wasn't enough.
Amidst falling viewership of Top Gear, Chris Evans announced he's done with Top Gear broadcast by BBC Worldwide on the BBC Brit (DStv 120) channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.
Chris Evans quitting Top Gear came on the same day that it was confirmed that he is being investigated over allegations of sexual assault. He allegedly exposed himself to a woman and she alleges that he groped her breasts.
Chris Evans had a 3-year contract to do Top Gear but according to sources decided last week to drop the BBC show shortly after the American version, Top Gear USA was cancelled.
Since and even before the revamped Top Gear returned the show was marred in criticism which grew once new episodes were broadcast, with viewers saying they don't like Chris Evans, and with Matt LeBlanc getting a much warmer reception from viewers.
Top Gear also suffered the new executive producer and other producers who've quit after a few weeks working on the show and plunging ratings.
The 6th episode of the 23rd season of Top Gear managed only 1.9 million viewers in the United Kingdom, down from the 4.4 million of the first episode that kept falling per every subsequent episode.
"I have never worked with a more committed and driven team than the team I have worked with over the last twelve months," says Chris Evans in a statement. "I feel like my standing aside is the single best thing I can now do to help the cause".
"I remain a huge fan of the show, always have been, always will be. I will continue to focus on my radio show".
Mark Lindsey, the director of BBC Studios says in a statement "Chris is stepping down from his duties on Top Gear.
"He says he gave it his best doing everything he could to make the show a success. He firmly believes that the right people remain, on both the production team and presenting team to take the show forward and make it the hit we want it to be."
"The new series has so far notched up over 30 million views in the United Kingdom alone and has already been sold to 130 territories worldwide," says Mark Lindsey.
Chris Evans quitting Top Gear comes as he's under investigation by the police over allegations of sexual assault from the 1990's, amidst allegations that he exposed himself to co-workers as well during the same period.
The revamped Top Gear that replaced the version presented by Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond has struggled in the ratings but the other new presenters - Matt LeBlanc, Rory Reid, Chris Harris, Sabine Schmitz and Eddie Jordan - will likely all be back for a next season that will start filming in September.
