IN NUMBERS: Top Gear

As the revamped motoring magazine continues (8pm, BBC2), we look at some facts and figures about the show and its presenters, past and present…

24 The number of years the first Top Gear ran, from 1977 to 2001. It began as a half-hour show on BBC1 in the Midlands, presented by Angela Rippon and regional newsman Tom Coyne. Rippon remained behind the wheel when the show moved to BBC2 in 1978; in all, there were more than 30 presenters in the original run.

1988 The year Jeremy Clarkson joined the presenting team. He stayed for ten years, then left, returning in 2002 when the show was revamped and relaunched.

2015 The year it was announced that Clarkson and his co-hosts, James May and Richard Hammond, would be leaving the show. On March 25 of that year, the BBC’s Director-General, Tony Hall, announced that Clarkson’s contract would not be renewed following an investigation into allegations that the presenter had physically and verbally abused Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon in a hotel after filming a segment for the series.

6 The number of episodes presented by

Chris Evans. The 23rd series began on

May 29, 2016; following the series finale,

Evans announced that he would be leaving, with co-hosts Chris Harris, Matt LeBlanc and Rory Reid (above) taking over the reins.