Return of Top Gear
The Grand Tour is not the only car show returning after a break. According to BBC News, at the Edinburgh Television Festival, the BBC’s director of entertainment broadcasting confirmed plans to revive Top Gear.
“There has been a lot of speculation… and we can confirm that Top Gear is coming back.”
However, Ed Havard did not specify when exactly the programme will air or who will host it. So for now, fans can only wait for official announcements.
Who could become a host
Earlier, information emerged that the BBC is in talks with Jimmy Carr. The 53-year-old stand-up comedian has long been known to a wide audience thanks to numerous TV projects, so he could fit naturally into the show’s format. When asked about these rumours, Havard replied:
“Jimmy would be a great host.”
In addition to Carr, according to sources, the BBC is also looking at Joe Marler. The 36-year-old former rugby player became a public figure through sport, and after ending his career in 2024, he moved into the entertainment sphere.
The biggest taboos in our society… Come to Jimmy’s live shows and listen to the new Crowd Work podcast.
— Jimmy Carr (@jimmycarr), August 7, 2026
Whether Carr and Marler will join the project, time will tell. However, Havard hinted that more details about the Top Gear relaunch will appear soon.
The project’s troubled history
There are few details so far, but Top Gear has had problems since the high-profile scandal involving Jeremy Clarkson. After Clarkson, Hammond and May left the show, it was relaunched in 2016 with Chris Evans, Chris Harris, Eddie Jordan, Matt LeBlanc, Rory Reid and Sabine Schmitz.
This version was unsuccessful, and Evans left after the first season. Later, Top Gear was relaunched again: Chris Harris, Freddie Flintoff and Paddy McGuinness effectively took the places of Clarkson, Hammond and May. However, in 2022 the project suddenly ended after Flintoff was injured in an accident.
What this means next
Despite all previous difficulties, the Top Gear brand still remains recognizable. If the BBC really bets on Carr and Marler, this will indicate a shift toward more entertainment content. At the same time, the return of The Grand Tour in September only adds to the intrigue: viewers will have to choose between two iconic car shows returning almost simultaneously.