We all know him from the much-loved sitcom, Friends. The somewhat-simple, rather adorable, uber Italian Joey Tribbiani was definitely one of our favourite characters on the show, and since then Matt LeBlanc’s done bits and pieces here and there, but nothing’s really stuck.
Then LeBlanc appeared on Top Gear for the “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” segment, and subsequently set the fastest lap in a Kia. Not only was he a legitimately good driver, but he also revealed that he had quite the stable of vehicles (including a Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes and even a big Ford pickup). Plus, he’s pretty into the two-wheeled variety of motoring, too. LeBlanc regularly attends Formula One races, too.
So, Matt’s a legitimate car guy. Seems like the ideal co-host for a show all about cars, right?
But he’s not British.
Hmm, the dilemma. Not that we could have swung the decision nor can we make changes to the contract now that its been signed, but we’re not 100% on board with this new set-up. Sure, we can rest easy knowing our trio of original Brits are off making their own show for Amazon Prime, but we still hold a special spot in our gearhead hearts for the original, Top Gear and we want to see it succeed, and of course watch every single episode of the new season.
Chris Evans was already a stretch; sure he’s a local with the right accent and all, but he’s not exactly what we’d refer to as a “car guy.” So, will the 48-year-old LeBlanc be enough to offset his lack of knowledge?
We gotta admit, we’re excited to see the final result and have total faith if nothing else, LeBlanc will be highly entertaining and his enthusiasm for all things automotive will be palpable and make up for his lack of a the Queen’s English tongue.
The BBC made the announcement today, and LeBlanc will start filming for the show immediately.