The BBC has confirmed that Top Gear Season 26 will premiere on February 17th in the UK and most likely the following day on BBC America.
This season will see hosts Matt LeBlanc, Chris Harris, and Rory Reid embark on a series of adventures and feature some truly extraordinary cars. Season 26 will also be the final season to feature LeBlanc and Reid. The former Friends actor will leave the show due to its gruelling travel schedule while Reid will be dropped from Top Gear and simply host Extra Gear.
The departure of LeBlanc and Reid is a shame as they, alongside Harris, helped return Top Gear to its glory days once featuring Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May. They will be replaced by Paddy McGuinness and Andrew Flintoff for season 27.
In a statement, the BBC said this season will include “the best supercar alternatives to a family estate, racing to the top of a mountain using the smallest 4x4s in the UK, driving across Sri Lanka in Tuk-tuks, Chris Harris mostly sideways on our track in a Porsche 911 GT2 RS, and buying (and racing) used luxury cars for the price of a new Dacia Sandero.”
A trailer released four weeks ago also showed a Bentley Continental GT, Ferrari GTC4Lusso, and Chris Harris driving a Bentley Speed 8 Le Mans Prototype.