Careful Evans wary of top gear now he in show’s driving seat

Chris Evans says he has been terrified of losing his driving licence since landing the Top Gear job and has “never driven more carefully”.

The Radio 2 breakfast show DJ said he spent a lot of time in his car on Wednesday, after his appointment was announced, driving to and from several appearances on TV and radio shows and that he was extremely careful to stick to the speed limits.

“The most striking thing about the whole day was that I spent a lot of it my car,” he told listeners.

“I have never driven more carefully. I have now realised I can’t lose my licence.

“You know when you drive so tentatively, you’re almost a bit of a danger ... I stuck to all the speed limits,” he added.

Evans said he would be holding auditions to find a co-host on the hit TV show. A website address will be released today so people can post a short video pitching for the job.

Yesterday he said that candidates needed to have an “appetite, hunger and need” to host the motoring show, which will be broadcast on BBC2 in March or April. “If nobody’s good, nobody is going to get the job,” he said.

The broadcaster was tipped to take the driving seat on the flagship BBC show after Jeremy Clarkson was sacked for punching a producer in a row over steak.

When his appointment was announced, the BBC also confirmed James May and Richard Hammond would not be back.

Evans is looking for a co-host.