When is Top Gear back on TV?
The team reunite for one last outing before Matt LeBlanc departs the driving series
The 26th series of Top Gear is racing back to our screens later this year, with Matt LeBlanc back in the driving seat as he gears up to review, race and potentially wreck a series of motors.
Once again, Chris Harris and Rory Reid are also coming along for the ride, with the gang heading to Norway, Sri Lanka and Spain on their motoring misadventures.
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But the latest series of Top Gear is set to be LeBlanc’s last, after the former Friends star announced his departure from the show last year after he felt he was spending too much time apart from his family.
So when will LeBlanc’s last hurrah be seen on our screens? Buckle up, as here’s everything you need to know about the new series…
When is the new series of Top Gear back on TV?
Top Gear will kick off its new series on Sunday 17th February at 8pm on BBC2 for five hour-long episodes.
Who are the presenters in the new series?
Alongside LeBlanc, Harris and Reid, Sabine Schmitz will feature in the new series, alongside the anonymous white-suited Stig for the show’s much-loved Reasonably Fast Car segment.
Which celebrities will be on Top Gear this series?
No names have been confirmed to star in the new series so far, but judging by the calibre of previous guests, (we’ve seen Vicky McClure, Doctor Who’s David Tennant and Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch grace the show), we’re bound to see more than a few A-Listers pop up in the new series.
Where has this series been filmed?
Series 26 comprises of five hour-long episodes, with the gang heading to Norway, Sri Lanka and Spain for their series of challenges.
This series will see the threesome discover the very best alternatives to supercars, racing up mountains in the smallest 4x4’s in the UK, and trying Tuk-Tuks across all terrains.
Is this Matt LeBlanc’s last series?
LeBlanc confirmed that series 26 of Top Gear will be his last, explaining in a statement that the “time commitment and extensive travel…takes [him] away from [his] friends and family more than [he’s] comfortable.”
He added, “It's unfortunate, but for these reasons I will not be continuing my involvement with the show. I will forever be a Top Gear fan and I wish the team continued success. Thanks for a great drive.”
He will be replaced by Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff and Paddy McGuinness, with Rory Reid stepping down as a presenter for the main show to feature in the BBC 3 sister show, Extra Gear.
When do new presenters Andrew Flintoff and Paddy McGuiness start, and have they started filming?
Flintoff and McGuinness will be in the driving seat for the 27th series of the show, which will most likely be on screens in 2020.
Upon landing the role, McGuinness said, “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."
Flintoff added, “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."
The new hosts have already started filming for the new show, with the pair spotted driving a converted hearse, dubbed ‘The Overtaker’ on a beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
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