Top Gear America Returning With 3 New Hosts on BBC America
The American version of Top Gear is back, packing an actor, a drag racer, and a British journalist
The last iteration of Top Gear America was shuttered after running for six seasons. But the American version of the beloved British car show is about to get another chance at life, with three new hosts at the helm and a new network to call home, according to a tweet from BBC America.
Top Gear America's new hosts are actor William Fichtner, drag racer Antron Brown, and British automotive journalist Tom "Wookie" Ford. Eight episodes of the show are coming to BBC America later in 2017; previous, the series aired on the History Channel.
"We are big fans of the mix of cars, credibility and charisma that adds up to the winning formula for Top Gear, and couldn't be happier that BBCA is now the home for the franchise in the US, with Top Gear America joining the original show on our network," said network president Sarah Barnett to the Hollywood Reporter. "Bill, Antron and Wookie are serious gearheads who never take themselves too seriously. It will be quite the trip."
Fichtner, a character actor who has appeared in films such as The Dark Knight and Contact, races and likes cars, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Brown is a three-time NHRA world champion, and Ford works as an editor for Car.
Currently, the British Top Gear is steaming ahead with its updated cast of Chris Harris, Rory Reid, and Matt LeBlanc. According to the Hollywood Reporter, that show's ratings have greatly improved over previous seasons.