Top Gear Returns to BBC After Four-Year Hiatus — New Hosts Yet to Be Named

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The BBC is reviving Top Gear after a four-year hiatus.

New hosts could include Jimmy Carr and Joe Marler.

Move comes ahead of Grand Tour reboot in September.

The Grand Tour isn’t the only show returning after a short hiatus as a Top Gear reboot is in the works.

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According to BBC News , the BBC’s Director of Entertainment used the Edinburgh TV Festival to say “There has been a lot of speculation … and we can confirm that Top Gear is coming back.” However, Ed Havard declined to reveal when the program would be back on the air or who would be hosting it.

More: Here’s Your First Look At The Grand Tour Reboot

However, an earlier report suggested Jimmy Carr was in talks to host the rebooted program. The 53-year-old is a well-known stand-up comedian and has appeared on numerous TV shows over the years. This could make him a good fit and Havard said “Jimmy would be a great host”, when asked about the rumors.

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The BBC is also said to be eyeing Joe Marler as another host. The 36-year-old rose to fame playing rugby, but transitioned to entertainment after retiring in 2024.

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Get tickets to see Jimmy live at https://t.co/l3kS1dkbNC and listen to the new Crowd Work podcast here: https://t.co/XSiCLXDIcp pic.twitter.com/ol2zlB96Br

— Jimmy Carr (@jimmycarr) August 7, 2026

While only time will tell if Carr and Marler join the program, Havard said we can expect to learn more about the Top Gear reboot shortly.

There’s not a lot to go on at the moment, but Top Gear has struggled ever since Jeremy Clarkson’s infamous fracas. Following the departure of Clarkson, Hammond, and May, the show was rebooted in 2016 with Chris Evans, Chris Harris, Eddie Jordan, Matt LeBlanc, Rory Reid, and Sabine Schmitz.

The program didn’t fare well and Evans left after one season. It was eventually rebooted again with Chris Harris, Freddie Flintoff, and Paddy McGuinness effectively filling the shoes of Clarkson, Hammond, and May. However, the show came to a crashing end in 2022 when Flintoff was injured in an accident.

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