An official announcement is expected shortly.

According to the BBC, Matt LeBlanc has made the decision to return as lead host of Top Gear following several weeks of backroom negotiations. Current host Chris Harris was not aware of these discussions. Nor was Rory Reid, whose future as host of Extra Gear remains uncertain at this time. LeBlanc announced last July he was departing Top Gear in order to spend more time with his family, who live in California.

Top Gear, as we all know, is shot with a live audience in the UK, but its hosts travel the world to film segments. LeBlanc has yet to make an official statement on his return and we’re expecting the BBC to make its own big announcement shortly. The report claims LeBlanc’s decision was partially based on the new hosts the network recruited, Paddy McGuinness and Andrew "Freddie” Flintoff.
The former "Friends” actor was said to be concerned about the duo’s general car knowledge, or lack thereof. LeBlanc then came to the realization that he knew he could continue to make the show better.

He also realized, following his viewing of early edit segments of the new hosts, that the rapport between himself, Harris, and Reid was far better than that between the new hosts. There was also another vital factor: the fans. LeBlanc is said to have received a lot of so-called "fan mail” practically begging him not to go.

He realized his presence on the show mattered a lot to viewers and reportedly told a close associate, "I just can’t let them down.” Once he notified BBC executives and Top Gear producers about his change of heart, negations kicked off immediately. His new contract is said to be worth up to $4.3 million per year. As for the new season already being filmed?

The BBC has yet to make a decision whether or not to air it, but LeBlanc’s first episode back at the helm as Top Gear lead host will be next April 1, 2020.

I’m incredibly sad to share the news that Sabine Schmitz, the racing driver who has become a living legend since she appeared on Top Gear, has revealed in the last 24 hours that she is fighting cancer. She posted to her Facebook page explaining why she didn’t drive in a recent racing league, and said the following:


This is incredibly sad news, but we at Grand Tour Nation are sending her all of our best wishes.

Until then, let’s look back into the archives of Top Gear where she taught Jeremy Clarkson how to take on the incredibly dangerous and difficult Nurburgring.
When Clarkson just about manages a ten-minute lap on a Jaguar X-Type, Sabine shouts at him, explaining how she could do such a thing in a van! Cue the next video…She came incredibly close to Jeremy’s time at the wheel of a Ford Transit, making this possibly one of the most memorable episodes of Top Gear. Since then, she has become a legend within the racing and enthusiast communities. She also had a brief stint on the rebooted Top Gear after Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May left. But she soon left, possibly due to her health.

We wish her the best, and will keep you updated as we learn more.

Things have been touch-and-go for the television show nearest and dearest to almost every automotive enthusiast heart, and now the BBC says “Top Gear” is, for the time being, a no go.

One of the longest running television shows of all time is suspended indefinitely, the BBC announced Monday. The heart-rending news comes just a few weeks after the BBC insisted that it wasn’t going to shelve “Top Gear” The show was originally suspended back in May following presenter Freddie Flintoff’s massive crash at the “Top Gear” test track a year ago. Injuries Flintoff sustained during the crash were described by the BBC as the primary reason for casting off the show, according to Deadline:
Flintoff reportedly was uncomfortable with conditions at the track the day he dumped a Morgan Super 3. He had to be evacuated via helicopter to a hospital where he was treated for extensive injuries to his face (the Morgan did not have air bags.) The BBC eventually paid out £9 million to Flintoof. This wasn’t Flintoff’s first crash while filming the show, either. He lost footing in a Subaru Brat while filming. He’s also not the only presenter to suffer life-altering injuries. Richard Hammond ended up in a coma for weeks in 2006 after crashing a turbo jet engine-powered dragster called Vampire. Hammond also suffered a terrible crash in a Rimac electric supercar in 2017 (while filming for Amazon’s “Top Gear”-adjacent series “Grand Tour.”)

​​​​​​​Clearly safety is an issue on this set and, considering the powerful cars the presenters drive in often wild and entertaining ways, it seems difficult to raise the standards of safety on such a show. This will likely be tough news for enthusiast to take. “Top Gear”has been on air since 1977, and in that time the presenters used a mix of comedy and wild enthusiasm to draw in millions of viewers. Even if you aren’t a gear head, “Top Gear” was always a fun watch.

Today, pour a cup of tea out for a real one.