London - The BBC says former “Friends” star Matt LeBlanc has signed a two-series deal to host Top Gear.
The broadcaster on Monday announced that LeBlanc will front the program when it returns for a 24th series in 2017.
LeBlanc was one of two hosts when Top Gear was relaunched in May after the loss of its longstanding team of presenters. His co-host, Chris Evans, quit in July after the show drew lacklustre ratings and lukewarm reviews.
A mix of humor, stunts and automotive advice, Top Gear became a global hit under presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.
The trio left last year after an off-set dustup in which Clarkson punched a producer. They will be hosting a new car show called The Grand Tour, on Amazon Prime.