Chris Evans is the host of BBC Radio 2’s Breakfast Show, the most popular radio show in the UK. And oh yeah, he’s also slightly fanatical about cars. He has a huge collection of classic cars, several of which cost millions. This could actually be a match made in heaven. His Breakfast Show has about 10 million listeners every weekday in the UK, and BBC’s Top Gear is probably the most popular BBC show, making about 50 million dollars a year. Have no doubt, Chris Evans is one of the most talented presenters of his generation.

Top Gear will be presented as well as produced by Chris Evans, and he’s bound to make some changes. The first one is that there will be open auditions for anybody. So if you ever thought you’d make a good Top Gear presenter, here’s your chance.

“The way Richard and James were found was by auditioning,” reckons Evans, “so what we’re going to do is hold auditions. Not just for famous people, ex-famous people, up-and-coming famous people, but for people who are watching the show.”
“Male, female, old, young, it doesn’t matter. The one thing that does matter is that you’ve got to have a real appetite for cars, and you’ve got to know something about cars.”

Presenting hopefuls – who can apply from all over the world, not just the UK – should record a video clip no longer than 30 seconds. “It should just be you, to camera from the waist up. No stunts, no gimmicks, just you talking to camera,” said Chris. Presenting wannabees must be over 16.

The link for the website where you can send your audition tapes should be up in the next few days. Chris also said he got the thumbs up from all three ex-presenters, Jeremy Clarkson wishing him good luck as well. While they’re off to another channel to make their own version of Top Gear, Chris Evans said this on the radio on Wednesday.

Chris Evans, speaking on his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show, Wednesday June 17:

Last Thursday, I got a text from Mark Linsey, who is head of entertainment for BBC TV. Basically it said, “Would you be interested at all in having a Top Gear conversation?”

I had never been offered the Top Gear job before that. […] So I called Mark Linsey back, and Mark explained to me that the situation had changed in the last 24 hours because Richard and James had finally ruled themselves out of a return to Top Gear.

Before that, they were very much considering returning. The BBC had made an offer to them, I was aware of that. And I wanted them to return, wanted Top Gear to carry on, as a fan. And I thought, honestly, as a betting man, that was going to happen.

So whenever I said I categorically rule myself out of ‘running for office’ […] it was because I didn’t want to be a pawn in a chess game involving two – and in fact three, including Jeremy – of my friends.

A few weeks ago, James and I went on holiday together – me and my family, and him and his partner – for three days in France. We talked about what he might do, what Jeremy might do and what Richard might do… for most of the three days, if I’m honest with you.

I did not want to be involved in bookies’ odds and all that kind of stuff, because that’s not what the situation needed. I had to get out of that madness, and let other people get involved in that if they wanted to.

But it all changed, as I say, on Wednesday. Mark phoned me up and said, “That’s [James and Richard returning] not going to happen, are you up for it?” At which point I said, “Can I think about it? I’ll call you back…”

I talked to Will [MacDonald] about it. Will and my wife were the only two people I told. We decided that what I do for a living is radio and television and a bit of writing, and it [Top Gear] is the biggest television show in the world. It’s my favourite television show of all time, you know how much of a fan I am of the show.

I love producing […] so I said yes. We had our first meeting about it on Friday, and that was basically that. The weekend was strange and calm and exciting.

[…] Yesterday was a very interesting day. We decided we were going to announce it at 7.15[pm] on the BBC2 Twitter feed. We pressed the button […] and waited for our phones to melt, and that’s exactly what happened.

Before it was announced, I texted Jeremy and James and Richard and Andy [Wilman], and I’ve heard back from all of them.

James called me back straight away, within a minute of me texting him to have a chat, and we’re going to meet up today and tomorrow and talk about things. Who knows what might happen there?

And then Jeremy texted me. He said, “I knew they would. […] I knew you would, best of luck,” and gave me a piece of advice, which I’m not going to repeat on the radio, to be honest.

Then Richard texted me back […]. He said, “You were designed and built for that job and it’ll be great. It was also always the BBC’s very best option.”

[…] So there you go, that’s it. Now all I need to do is remember to breathe…

I’m sure Chris will do an excellent job, and there will be much more crowd participation in the new Top Gear. Here’s a shirt that you can wear for your audition tape.