Top Gear bosses wanted to axe Clarkson, May or Hammond as line-up was 'too white'

A former Top Gear producer has claimed that the BBC felt the presenter line-up was 'too white' and 'wanted to sack one host.' Jeremy Clarkson fronted the BBC motoring show alongside Richard Hammond and James May before all three exited in 2015 when Clarkson's contract was not renewed. After leaving Top Gear, the trio went on to create 'The Grand Tour' for Amazon Prime, which concluded last year after six seasons. Jeremy Clarkson had previously presented Top Gear between 1988 and 1999, before Hammond joined. James May then completed the lineup in 2003 in a new, revamped version of the show.

Andy Wilman, a co-creator of Top Gear, has claimed that he was once invited to a meeting with BBC bosses, where they apparently debated whether to remove one of the 'white, middle-class, middle-aged' hosts.

In his new book, called Mr Wilman's Motoring Adventure, the producer explained how he was asked by a TV executive: "So, how about replacing one of your line-up with a young... black or Asian presenter."

In extracts obtained by The Sun, Andy reportedly responded: "So hang on, you've got young black and Asian viewers who have chosen, seemingly quite happily, to watch three white, middle-class, middle-aged men doing what they do, and in response to that, we should now break that team up - the one they enjoy watching - and give them something they're most likely not asking for?

Andy said that he asked them: "Isn't that sort of patronising to... young black and Asian viewers?"

Express Online has contacted the BBC for comment.

After the trio left Top Gear in 2015, radio host Chris Evans took over as show host from 2016 until 2019. He was then joined by Friends icon Matt LeBlanc. Chris then left and was replaced by Chris Harris and Rory Reid. The final lineup saw Chris being joined by Paddy McGuinness and Freddie Flintoff.

Production has been on hold on the show since 2022 after former England cricket captain Freddie was hospitalised following a serious accident at a test track in Surrey.

Freddie suffered serious injuries after his vehicle flipped and slid along a track. He sustained broken ribs and horrific facial injuries as a result, and he was later deemed "lucky to be alive" after the collision.

In November 2023, the BBC said the show will not be returning for the "foreseeable future."