While ex-host Jeremy Clarkson was given a lot of freedom, which eventually led to him being sacked, the same cannot be said of Chris Evans, who is strictly controlled by BBC chiefs.
This is what got him on the verge of walking away from the revamped Top Gear and, according to Mirror, BBC2 controller Kim Shillinglaw’s “micro-management” played a major role in Evans’ reaction.
The 49-year old radio DJ has stated he wants to make Top Gear a quality show, but he felt “drained and disheartened” after some run-ins with the channel’s bosses.
However, “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“, said an insider.
Chris Evans has signed a three-year contract and during the first months, he encountered numerous problems from skeptics who don’t see him as a proper replacement for Jezza – and his car sickness incident that surfaced recently didn’t help allay the series fans’ doubts.
The first episodes of the revamped Top Gear are said to air in May.