R8 Coupe

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Audi
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We have been getting a bit tired of all the bad news coming from the set of the new "Top Gear." (Some of us more than others.) First we heard rumors that Chris Evans, the new host, was having trouble talking to the camera and that he'd crashed a Jaguar. Further reports claimed that the BBC was meddling in production and that the writers didn't know much about cars. Then we saw pictures of him getting sick after being driven around the track by costar Sabine Schmitz in an Audi R8. Now comes news that Evans reportedly threatened to quit the show.

Claims have been made that Evans is frustrated with "meddling" BBC executives that are providing "constant interference." Tipsters claim that the source of these problems was BBC2 controller Kim Shillinglaw, who apparently did not give Evans the same creative freedom that Jeremy Clarkson enjoyed. Anonymous sources have reported that Evans feels "drained and disheartened" after several clashes with BBC executives over the show's future direction. This source revealed that "Chris isn't a quitter but it was all getting on top of him and he began wondering if it was all worth the hassle" and that "he was working his behind off and just didn't feel the love coming back from certain BBC executives."

These problems seemingly began when the BBC wanted to choose a replacement for the executive producer after Evan's friend Lisa Clark quit. No reason was given for her departure or for script editor Tom Ford's. Sources claim that they too were fed up with BBC micromanaging. Now Kim Shillinglaw has also left the show, which may ease the pressure on Evans. The BBC denies that Shillinglaw's departure has anything to do with "meddling" with Top Gear," but instead is due to a restructuring of BBC TV. No one know if these reports are 100 percent true, but it doesn't seem that the bad news is slowing down. We certainly hope that Evans can get the show back on track but it seems that the disasters keep on coming.