Bad news for Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc – Top Gear’s ratings slide continues.
BBC America has just provided Heat Street with the numbers for the first episode of the series broadcast in the US with Evans and LeBlanc as new hosts.
Their debut was watched by 27% fewer viewers compared to the opening episode of the previous series, when Jeremy Clarkson was in charge.
It’s easy to see why if Facebook feedback is anything to go by.
Sheikh Wahab Kamar spoke for many when he said: “Dude, this ginger guy looks annoying.”
The first episode was broadcast in the US on Monday 30 May.
BBC America said it attracted 388,000 “live same day” viewers.
That compares poorly with the debut show in the previous series, with Clarkson, which pulled in 530,000 “live same day” viewers.
The news comes as Top Gear’s UK figures are also in decline.
The first episode, broadcast on 29 May, had a live audience of 4.4 million.
But the second episode, screened on June 5, pulled in only 2.81 million live viewers.
Evans has repeatedly taken to twitter to justify the collapse, claiming the number of those who watch programmes on TV as they are transmitted is “less relevant” these days because of the range of catch-up services on offer.
Overnight television viewing figures for Top Gear have never been less relevant. Obviously some newspapers prefer to live in the past.
— Chris Evans (@achrisevans) June 6, 2016
BBC America also provided “reach” figures – described as “every single person who tuned in for the premiere episode and same-week encores for 60 seconds or longer.”
In this context, Evans did better than Clarkson, with 2.5 million viewers against Clarkson’s 2.2 million.
But BBC America then said the “cumulative audience” – the averages of the first episode and same-week encores – were down significantly for Evans, who pulled in 922,000 viewers against Clarkson’s 1.2 million.
Top Gear generates at least £50 million ($73 million) for the BBC through foreign sales each year.
Will these numbers be enough to keep this particular golden goose alive?
