Chris Evans quits Top Gear

Evans revealed he is to leave the flagship BBC2 format on Monday afternoon (4 July) after the reebooted series concluded on Sunday (3 July) with its lowest audience yet,of fewer than 2m viewers.

In statement, Evans said: “I have never worked with a more committed and driven team than the team I have worked with over the last twelve months. I feel like my standing aside is the single best thing I can now do to help the cause.

“I remain a huge fan of the show, always have been, always will be. I will continue to focus on my radio show and the allied events that it encompasses.”

He also tweeted: “Gave it my best shot but sometimes that’s not enough.”

Evans was installed as lead host of the show, alongside Friends star Matt Le Blanc, earlier this year after Jeremy Clarkson was sacked in March 2015 for physically assaulting Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon.

BBC Studios director Mark Linsey said: “Chris is stepping down from his duties on Top Gear. He says he gave it his best shot doing everything he could to make the show a success.

“He firmly believes that the right people remain, on both the production team and presenting team to take the show forward and make it the hit we want it to be. The new series has so far notched up over 30m views in the UK alone and has already been sold to 130 territories worldwide”.

The news follows confirmation from the Metropolitan Police that it is investing a complaint of “non-recent sexual assault” by a woman about Evans.

This weekend, numerous newspaper reports alleged that the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show presenter faced a grilling from police over the allegations.