Chris Evans: Jeremy Clarkson's sacking was bizarre

2 May 2016

Chris Evans finds it "bizarre" that Jeremy Clarkson left 'Top Gear' for "losing his rag over dinner".

Chris Evans

The 50-year-old television and radio presenter - who has taken over from Jeremy on the BBC Two show - is surprised he left the show over a row with producer Oisin Tymon about hot food, given the "chronology of controversy of 'Top Gear' over the last five or six years".

He said: "What is more fascinating is that he went for what he went for, considering what had gone on before.

"If you look at the chronology of controversy of 'Top Gear' over the last five or six years, it is bizarre that he went for losing his rag over his dinner when there had been international incidents before that."

And Chris went on to praise his "hero" for his excellent writing skills and ability to "deconstruct things really well".

He added: "We used to get on. I don't know if we still get on because I haven't seen him in ages. But he is one of my heroes. He's entertaining. He was great on Top Gear and I love his writing.

"He is funny. He deconstructs things really well. They say if you can explain complicated things to a six-year-old you know what you're talking about, and I am like his six-year-old."

The BBC Radio 2 presenter also hit back at claims the new presenting line-up - which includes Matt LeBlanc, Sabine Schmitz, Chris Harris, Eddie Jordan and Rory Reid - was chosen to make the show politically correct.

He told the new issue of GQ magazine: "Some people want to infer that, but no. I hired the people I thought we needed. My job is to present and when they signed me up they said do what you want with it."