Top Gear

Top Gear Series 23 back on track as ratings rise by 300,000

Chris Evans’ Top Gear may have turned a corner in the overnight ratings after it bounced back from last week’s record low – the BBC2 show was watched by 2.68 million viewers, a 12.5% share of the audience, from 8pm on Sunday. That’s more than 300,000 viewers up from last week’s 2.34 million (10.4%), which was the show’s smallest audience since it was reinvented by Jeremy Clarkson back in 2002.

It is the first time the ratings have gone up for the show which has suffered a difficult reboot under Evans and his new team, from executive departures to reports of tension with his co-presenter, Matt LeBlanc, which surfaced again at the weekend. But it is still a long way down from the 4.3 million overnight audience who tuned into the launch episode of the new series, the first in its new incarnation since Radio 2 breakfast DJ Evans was handed responsibility for the show.

In another blow for the show, the consolidated audience for the previous week’s episode – which includes people who recorded it and watched it on catch-up in the following seven days – fell to 3.22 million, beaten by BBC2’s Great British Sewing Bee. It is believed to be only the second time in the last 10 years that Top Gear has not been the biggest show on BBC2 in a week of transmission. The Great British Sewing Bee had a total audience of 3.37 million. Evans has been highlighting the importance of catch-up viewing, saying before the launch that he would be “disappointed” if Top Gear had fewer than 5 million viewers. The consolidated audience for the show is now some way below that.

Sunday night’s audience will have been helped by the fact that it followed BBC2’s coverage of Glastonbury, the Sunday teatime programme featuring the first appearance at the festival by Jeff “Mr Blue Sky” Lynne. The music show had 2.4 million viewers from 6.30pm. Last week Top Gear had to make do with following a repeat of BBC2’s Dara and Ed’s Great Big Adventure, which could only manage 925,000 viewers. The show’s total audience, including people who record it and watch it in the next seven days, and on the BBC’s iPlayer, will be a million or two higher than its Sunday night rating.

Next week – the sixth and final episode of its new run – the show may face a challenge of a different sort. Top Gear is expected to be moved an hour and a half earlier if England beat Iceland at Euro 2016 on Monday night, which would line up a quarter-final clash with France kicking off at 8pm next Sunday.

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4 comments

Scooby June 29, 2016 at 8:54 pm

On the extra gear show for the only thing letting it down is the so called celebrity interviews are so short I wouldn’t bother with them as its only 30 minute show however by losing that i would make car news a bit longer as that part is good.

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Tom June 29, 2016 at 7:59 pm

I agree – for me Matt’s London tourist video cracked me up – but he’s acting so it’s natural for him. Think he’s easing into the studio stuff as it goes on.
I think Chris and Rory are great to be honest – Extra Gear is almost better than Top Gear because it’s just these two – I get the sense they’re not trying too hard and will only get more and more comfortable.
My main problem is the “epic races” or “long challenges” films – there’s no chemistry so it’s just not funny – get rid of that bit if you ask me – and SITRPRCC – not needed.
I’m on the fence with Chris – I’ve never been a massive Chris Evans fan – but it’s not like I can’t stand him either. I think he does the studio stuff well – it’s “live” (I know it isn’t but it’s more live than the films) – I think in Series 2 Chris should almost be an MC or compare – introducing the others, tying it all together in the studio… but that’s it.

Last note – love this site – it’s ace!

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Kyle Smith June 28, 2016 at 4:19 pm

What i find interesting is the “B” Commentators of the show far and away outshine the “A” Commentators of the show. Chris Evans i constantly overlook, he is not a good part of the show, and his videos really feel lackluster. Matt LeBlanc isn’t bad per say, he just isn’t great and that may come over time. His videos are relatively suited to the show, it’s just that Chris Harris firebombs the Evans, LeBlanc with ease in regards to his videos. I am still a nay sayer in regards to this new top gear but Harris who i followed on youtube before and now has the top gear team behind him has the RIGHT STUFF when it comes to video reviews. The Vulcan Video had me gob smacked on how well it was done and genuinely how good it was also. Rory Reid whom i have never heard of ( i live in Canada) has done a great job of holding my attention, and i would be happy to see them more a A tier comentators. LeBlanc, Harris and Reid would actually make a good trio, the chemistry is relatively good. Sabine isn’t bad at all either, i am just not sure if she is needed.

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Sean McKellar July 1, 2016 at 8:17 am

I think we’ll see some big changes for Series 24..

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