TOP Gear bosses have tried to wash away memories of CHRIS EVANS’ disastrous time on the show last year.
His off-road rallycross track has been returned to the original course — and there is now a team of three presenters headed by MATT LeBLANC.
Meanwhile, the former Friends star is refusing to mention his former colleague after their notoriously frosty relationship.
Instead, he has talked about following on from JEREMY CLARKSON and emphasised how great he is getting along with new hosts CHRIS HARRIS and RORY REID while making the BBC favourite.
Matt said: “What people forget is for the three guys that were on the show before us, it took them a while to build a rapport.
“This is now the first season for the three of us and it does take a little while.
“You take the three people, put them together in a room and say, ‘It’s in your interest to get along’ and everyone is open to getting along. But it takes a little while to speed up the shorthand.
“What’s great is we are now getting to a point where we are really starting to click. We are having so much fun together.”
Chris and Matt’s relationship hit the skids when the Radio 2 DJ apologised for the infamous Cenotaph stunt, when doughnuts were performed around the London war memorial as part of the US actor’s film.
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DANNY BAKER, who Chris brought in to help write the scripts, also left at the end of the last series.
Producers hope the three-man presenting line-up, which starts studio filming on Wednesday, will emulate the original winning formula when it was fronted by Jeremy, RICHARD HAMMOND and JAMES MAY before their switch to Amazon’s The Grand Tour.
Racing driver SABINE SCHMITZ and ex-Formula One team boss EDDIE JORDAN are also set to help out for a few shows.
Hopefully we won’t see anyone being car sick again this series.
Liv signs up for a good treason
THE BBC has finally sealed the deal on a Guy Fawkes drama, Gunpowder, starring KIT HARINGTON.
And the three-part series has secured a coup – Lord Of The Rings star LIV TYLER is joining the cast.
Sherlock writer MARK GATISS will also star in the drama about the 1605 plot to blow up Parliament.
A source said: “There have been rumours about this project from the middle of last year. The addition of Liv gives the show a real class leading lady.”
Last year, Kit revealed he was a direct descendant of one of the conspirators, Robert Catesby, and he had been working on a screenplay about the events.
He’s obviously planning for life after Game Of Thrones.
Truce ends Victoria’s reign
VICTORIA and Poldark locked horns in one of the tightest ever ratings wars last year, with the Cornish blockbuster just pipped by Queen Vic.
But I can now reveal Mammoth Screen, which made both dramas, has asked the BBC and ITV if they could halt further hostilities by not making them clash this year.
Bosses want the shows to run at different times this autumn to let fans watch both on the same night.
An insider revealed: “Fans don’t care which channels the shows are on. But loads of people – especially the elderly – complained that they had to watch one and wait for the other on catch-up.
“Mammoth just wants both shows to reach the biggest audience possible, so has asked the channels not to have a scheduling clash this autumn.”
ITV’s Victoria, starring JENNA COLEMAN and RUFUS SEWELL, won the Sunday night clash in 2016, despite AIDAN TURNER scythe in hand, flaunting his torso just as he did in the first episode.
It will be interesting to see who blinks and moves their time slot.
SOAPBOX
LEANNE goes into labour while stuck in a lift in CORONATION STREET.
Her sister Toyah follows her into the lift, jealous that Leanne has forgiven Eva for keeping Toyah’s relationship with Peter secret.
Between floors, it shudders to a stop – along with their row – when Leanne’s waters break.
Meanwhile a police raid threatens to ruin the big day in EMMERDALE.
Robert has trouble getting Aaron to The Woolpack where everything is prepared for the ceremony. Businessman Robert had put together the surprise for Aaron, whose assault trial is approaching.
But the bust by cops midway through could stop them tying the knot.
Berry: I’m very merry
FROM her years on The Great British Bake Off, everyone knows MARY BERRY is partial to a bit of cake.
But in her new BBC2 show, Mary Berry Everyday, she opens up about her passion for boozing.
While making a pudding in the first episode, which airs on BBC2 next Monday, she admits: “We were never without a bottle of whisky in the drinks cupboard when I was growing up.
“And as the cold weather draws in, a dram in my sumptuous pud seems a jolly good idea.”
After tasting the dish, she adds: “I might even have a dram afterwards.”
There is even more alcohol on the menu when it comes to making her main course, a fancy venison cottage pie.
She says: “For even more depth of flavour, I love to add a really good glug of red wine. The rest will be left for supper.”
I’d challenge even Queen of Bakes Mary to whip up a simple batch of fairycakes after downing all that.