McGuinness, Flintoff and Harris Confirmed as New Top Gear Trio

[Paul Jeffrey]

Former professional cricketer Freddy Flintoff and TV funny man Paddy McGuinness will join Chris Harris as the new hosts of BBC Top Gear from 2019.

With current anchor Matt LeBlanc set to step aside at the end of the upcoming Top Gear series, the BBC have confirmed a high profile pair of TV stars will join the long running and popular British motoring show, parachuting in former International cricketer Andrew "Freddy" Flintoff and English comedian Paddy McGuinness to join the highly regarded Chris Harris as the main presentation team for the 27th season of the show.

McGuinness, 45, best know for his part alongside Peter Kay in Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere and for presenting roles in the popular Take Me Out and Benchmark, was understandably delighted to land what could be argued as the highest profile contract in his television career to date:

"Getting the Top Gear gig is a real honour and I'm thrilled the BBC have given me this opportunity.

"To be hosting a show I've watched and loved from being a small boy is beyond exciting." ​

Joining the TV man will be decorated Ashes-winning former cricket captain Flintoff. The Lancashire native retired from the game in 2013 and has since forged an impressive career on the little screen, taking starring roles as captain on the popular A League of Their Own, plus various solo entertainment segments. Flintoff, a lifelong fan of performance cars, considers the Top Gear job as a "dream" move in his second career on TV:

"It's not often you have the chance to do both of your dream jobs, but I'm now lucky enough to say I will have.

"I've always been passionate about cars and I'm so excited to be joining the Top Gear team."​

With Flintoff and McGuinness joining Harris as the fronting trio of the new look Top Gear, there will be no room on the main show for current host Rory Reid, the likeable Londoner set to take a backseat for the new season, moving away from the main show to potentially take an increased role in the spin off "Extra Gear", German Nordschleife specialist Sabine Schmitz looks set to continue as the face of the secondary series into 2019 and beyond.

Filming of season 27 of Top Gear is expected to begin early 2019, with the first episodes set to air in the UK later that same year.

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Do you like the sound of the new Top Gear presentation team? Do you think Flintoff, McGuinness and Harris will make a good combination? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

 

[Thombike]

Is getting worse and worse. From international super hit to local and average serie, which don't care anyone outside UK...Well done BBC.

 

[melanieuk]

Seems like this show is going down the er, how many host have they had since clarkson and his two clowns departed.

There are now many car shows on the internet that are worth watching than top gear.

Kill it with fire BBC.

 

[Thombike]

Funny, but that's why the creators of Top Gear always stood, it has now become the main target - a show for pensioners

 

[SimJim70]

Oh dear god stop already.

 

[Paul Bennett]

So it's "The One Show" with cars
Kiss of death BBC.!

 

[Andy_J]

What the hell is the matter with you lot of non car lovers? Get a frackin grip of yourselves. The show hasn't even been filmed yet so we have to give it a chance before passing judgement. Would you rather have more pathetic cookery shows or big brother type shows? This is about fast cars, having a laugh and hopefully it will be good because Flintoff and Paddy are ace blokes and they just do everything for a laugh.
So give it a chance before you write it off and turn the TV over to the next soap opera.

 

[Nick Hill]

Predictions for the next three? Here are mine:

- Paul McCartney's gardener
- This guy on a bicycle
- A floor lamp

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

Agree with Andy here, McGuinness and Flintoff in particular are really top blokes, so this could well be a good thing for the show. Looking forward to seeing how it goes, as since post Clarkson era I've had no interest in it at all... well worth a stab to freshen things up.

Remember folks, Top Gear is an entertainment show featuring cars, not a car show.... it hasn't been a car show since the mid 1990's!

 

[Alex72]

Im shocked... 3 white males to host a BBC TV show?

 

[Brownninja97]

Im shocked... 3 white males to host a BBC TV show?

What would you prefer the checklist style one of every possible race, gender, religion, sexual preference?

 

[Butch]

derisory

 

[Nick Hill]

Clarkson-Hammond-May was lightning in a bottle. Really dumb, really entertaining TV that just sort of happened.

It's like NSync vs the Beatles. Both were on the radio a lot at one point, both sold a lot of records...but people name their kids after Beatles! People frame Beatles albums as art in their homes! It's 2018 - if you can tell me right now where you can find one of your NSync albums, you're either a pack rat or a real weirdo.

 

[Alex72]

What would you prefer the checklist style one of every possible race, gender, religion, sexual preference?

LOL no. I just thought it was common knowledge now that BBC basically posted in the newspapers as they advertised for new hires that: "white males need not apply".

Anyway, not wanting to start anything here and rip the good mood. I just thought it was common knowledge. Lots of people have spoken out about it and its been in the news (where the news agree with them of course), lol.

 

[farjam]

The show is dead for me since last season
they should have Brought sadiq khan lol

 

[Paul Bennett]

I agree with Paul an Andy, the new boys will be entertaining but a chance of car review is long gone.

 

[Nick Hill]

I agree with Paul an Andy, the new boys will be entertaining but a chance of car review is long gone.

Ha, about all I have ever gotten out of a Top Gear "car review" is:

- The sheet metal is shaped in an aesthetically pleasing fashion
- When you press the gas pedal to the floor, it makes a pleasingly loud noise and lots of smoke

If I want an objective assessment of how a car actually drives/performs, for me it's straight to YouTube to watch a bunch of videos and look for commonalities across the assessments.

 

[Mickdrs]

Let Harris do it on his own.

 

[protonv5]

Now that's a formidable group of wankers if ever I saw one

 

[Durge Driven]

and turn the TV over to the next soap opera.

If you like it good for you .....but don't rant on with bs