Chris Evans believes Jeremy Clarkson could've returned to 'Top Gear' if James May and Richard Hammond had accepted new contracts.
Chris Evans
The BBC Radio 2 DJ was announced as the new host of the BBC Two motoring show earlier this week but he's now claimed Jeremy - who was sacked after he punched a producer in a row over a steak - may have been allowed to return if his co-hosts had agreed to front the show without him for a while.
He said: "I would love to see James and Richard back doing it and who knows, maybe if they'd have come back for a year, maybe Jeremy would've come back after a year.
"I loved 'Top Gear' how it was, believe me, I'm the number one one who doesn't want it to change."
However, James May yesterday (17.06.15) insisted he'd never been offered a new contract.
Chris - who insisted he will "definitely" have a female co-host - also revealed he and the show's producers will be holding auditions to replace May and Hammond.
Speaking on 'The One Show' on BBC One, he shared: "I'm not going to name any names ... I haven't got a shortlist, I've got a very long list ... The way Richard and James were found was by auditioning and so what we're going to do is hold auditions.
"Not just for famous people, ex-famous people, up and coming famous people, in-between famous people but for people who are watching the show ... The thing that does matter is that you've got to have an appetite for cars and you've got to know something about cars."
Meanwhile, the 49-year-old presenter has hinted the new series of 'Top Gear' will hit TV screens next March.
Speaking on 'The Chris Evans Breakfast Show', he said: "This is BBC Radio 2 - not BBC Two - that's next March."
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