Top Gear: Chris Evans on taking over from Jeremy Clarkson - 'it's the most challenging thing I've ever done'
The Radio 2 DJ described the pressure as similar to being the new Doctor Who
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Chris Evans has spoken about his anxieties ahead of taking the Top Gear reigns from Jeremy Clarkson, describing the move as the biggest in his career yet.
The Radio 2 DJ described the pressure surrounding his upcoming Top Gear hosting debut as âa bit like being [the new] Doctor Whoâ.
In an interview with BBCâs Top Gear magazine, he said: âThis is, without doubt, the most challenging thing I have ever done in my career,â comparing his move to when he took over the Radio 2 show from Terry Wogan.
âPeople kept saying [after Wogan] I had âbig shoes to fillâ, and theyâre saying it again now. I donât mean theyâre wrong or theyâre right, itâs just such a predictable thing to say â and, by the way, Jeremy is very tall, so theyâre even bigger shoes.â
He added: âThere have been 34 presenters, so itâs a bit like Doctor Who.â
Evans remained tight-lipped about who was in the running to replace Richard Hammond and James May on the show. Jodie Kidd, Philip Glenister and Guy Martin are among the bookiesâ favourites to join the Top Gear âdream teamâ.
âThereâs a lot of talk about talent at the moment. Honestly, itâs not the furthest thing away from my mind, but it is quite distant compared to directors, producers,â he said.
He did however say the presenting team was ânearly in placeâŠweâre very closeâ.
Evans said he would not do away with popular segments on the show such as âstar in a reasonably priced carâ, saying it would be âsilly to throw the bath out with the bathwaterâ.
He did acknowledge that some things would have to change, but he couldnât say what.
âNothing has to [change], but some things will. I canât tell you what precisely.â
Evans, who initially dismissed rumours he was joining Top Gear, said he was eventually persuaded by Will Macdonald from Channel 4âa TFI Friday.
âHe said, âWhy would you not do this? And thatâs the question. It wasnât âWhy would you do it?â but âWhy wouldnât you?â If I make television programmes for a living and love motor cars and I love the biggest challenge in the world, why wouldnât I do it?â
Top Gear will return with a new trio of presenters in 2016.
Top Gear magazine is on sale from Wednesday.
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