Matt LeBlanc on Returning to ‘Top Gear’: ‘I Don’t Know – Call the BBC’

Former “Friends” star expresses uncertainty about whether he’ll be back on the popular car show

top gear matt leblanc
BBCA

Matt LeBlanc isn’t too sure about his future on “Top Gear.”

The former “Friends” star was asked Wednesday whether he would return as a cohost on the popular British car show, which got a makeover after the departure of scandal-plagued Jeremy Clarkson, who was accused of physically abusing a producer on the show.

“I don’t know – call the BBC,” LeBlanc told reporters at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour in Beverly Hills, after he was asked whether he would be back.

Instead, he is focused on his new CBS family comedy, “Man With a Plan,” which he came to TCA to promote.

“I’m not sure what’s happening with ‘Top Gear’ just yet, but this is my priority,” LeBlanc said, referring to “Man With a Plan.”

“Top Gear” has a passionate fan base, many of whom expressed displeasure with the new cohost team, which included LeBlanc, along with Rory Reid, Chris Harris and Chris Evans. (Evans, already under fire in a sex-abuse investigation, left after just six episodes.)

“Flop Gear” was how some fans derided the new, post-Clarkson version of the series.

LeBlanc spent four seasons on Showtime’s acclaimed comedy “Episodes,” which was his biggest success since “Friends.” A previous comedy, NBC’s “Friends” spin-off “Joey,” failed.

“Episodes” “was my first foray back at work after taking a handful of years off after ‘Joey’ ended,” LeBlanc said. “That whetted my appetite and I wanted to work more.”

But he didn’t necessarily want to return in a single-camera comedy, which looks like a film and has very long production days. The multi-camera comedies that are shot before a live audience — such as “Friends” — require one night of filming per week and much less time from cast members.

“I wanted to get back to multi-camera because I have a family,” LeBlanc said.

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