---
title: "Friends Matt LeBlanc is the New Top Gear Host"
description: "Matt LeBlanc. Yes, seriously, the guy from Friends."
date: "2016-02-04"
modified: "2016-02-04"
authors:
  - name: "Max Prince"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/max-prince"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/2021/friends-matt-leblanc-is-the-new-top-gear-host"
categories:
  - "Culture"
  - "News"
  - "People"
tags:
  - "Top Gear"
---

# Friends Matt LeBlanc is the New Top Gear Host

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/archive-images/020416_leblanc_hero.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

The BBC has announced the newest presenter of the rebooted *Top Gear*. It is not, as speculated, German racing driver Sabine Schmitz. Nor is it viral car review hero Chris Harris. It is, instead, Matt LeBlanc. Yes, *that* Matt LeBlanc. Like, the guy from *Friends*.

Well. There’s a curveball.

The [surprise announcement](<https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35490238>) comes just three months before the show returns to BBC Two in May. LeBlanc, 48, is the first non-British host of *Top Gear* in the program’s nearly four-decade-long run. Also: the only one from the cast of *Friends*.

In fairness, LeBlanc does have some credentials. He’s responsible for the fastest-ever Star in a Reasonably Priced Car lap—a 1 minute, 42 second rip—back in 2012. Last year, he presented *Top Gear: The Races*, a standalone spin-off for the BBC’s digital download service. So he’s a better choice than Matthew Perry. We guess. Welcome to the Post-Clarkson Era. Hopefully they’re not leaning on him to be “The Funny One.”

Matt freakin’ LeBlanc, guys. Jeez.

https://youtube.com/embed/QDtgCnRjztw

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/themaxprince>)