Yesterday, it was rumoured that the new host of Top Gear, Chris Evans, went on a foul mouthed rant at his studio audience after they failed to laugh at his jokes, but a member of that audience has now shot down those claims.
Jay Broster told us that he was there watching the recording live, and claims he doesn’t know where the allegations of a rant or the idea that Evans had struggled with presenting came from.
Speaking to UNILAD, Jay said:
Of course, a few lines were messed up, but not to the extent that people have been describing, it was a few words here and there, and was quite funny more than annoying.
He [Evans] didn’t throw temper tantrums, he got as many people in shot as he could. [He] endlessly thanked everyone after the show and made it quite a funny day.
Jay also dismissed the idea that Evans had complained about the audience wearing black and being unenthusiastic, saying that these claims were completely overblown.
Apparently, everyone who attended the recording had received an email about wearing bright clothing, so people who chose to wear black were more likely to get picked on. And let’s not forget, Jeremy Clarkson frequently picked on the audiences during his tenure as host.
Jay notes that Chris did comment on blokes folding their arms, but added that the audience found it ‘funny and banterous’ and the host was ‘pleasant towards all’.
The audience reportedly ate it up and Jay claims ‘both Matt and Chris got a lot of applause’ and an ‘extremely warm welcome from all,’ especially when LeBlanc whipped out his famous ‘How you doin?’ Friends catchphrase.
When pressed on where these negative rumours about the filming came from, Jay had an interesting theory.
He said:
I feel that there’s a lot of people that want it to fail. Bad news spreads faster than good news, and the press are gonna prey on people with bad opinions, not good opinions.
Most importantly, Jay says he had a ‘very good day’, and despite a few minor problems, which should be expected for a first show, he had an ‘awesome, fun day out’.
Jay also said that, despite the changes in cast, the show still felt like Top Gear, and although there’s some ‘big boots to fill’, real car enthusiasts will still tune in.
The revamped Top Gear rolls onto our screens next Sunday, May 29.
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.