Top Gear Australia is returning after 12 years with an all-new cast in 2024.
Paramount+ and BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand today announced the return of the series which features hosts Blair Joscelyne, Beau Ryan and Jonathan LaPaglia.
Mr Joscelyne is best known for co-creating the Mighty Car Mods YouTube series with Marty Mulholland. The series started in 2007 and has since gained over half a billion YouTube views.
“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity when you get asked to be part of one of the biggest motoring shows in the world,” said Mr Joscelyne.
“And I will take my job seriously of frying the tyres of any vehicle that the producers are irresponsible enough to hand me the keys to.”
Joining the YouTuber is actor Jonathan LaPaglia, who previously hosted Australian Survivor.
“Top Gear is arguably the biggest (and greatest) car show ever and as a massive fan I used to fantasise being on it one day as a guest racing the reasonably priced car around their test track,” said Mr LaPaglia.
Beau Ryan is the final member of the new cast. He recently hosted The Amazing Race Australia and co-hosts Gladiators, set to air in 2024.
Mr Joscelyne released a statement on Facebook saying he doesn’t plan to leave Mighty Car Mods but co-host Marty will be hoisting up the cars solo for a “little while”.
“We’re 16 years deep and still absolutely loving what we’ve created. We’ve always made the show fit in and around our lives with the flexibility to acommodate adventures like this one,” read the Facebook post.
“We’ve got a heap of awesome videos coming your way including a huge new MCM adventure which will be coming to your eyeballs in December.”
BBC Australia and New Zealand will produce the eight-part series, which will begin filming later this year.
Top Gear Australia season one premiered on SBS on September 29, 2008. At the time, the hosts were Warren Brown, Charlie Cox and Steve Pizzati. Season one and two both featured eight episodes each.
In 2010, the Nine Network picked up the show for two seasons. Seasons three and four of Top Gear Australia were hosted by Shane Jacobson, Ewen Page and Steve Pizzati.
Season three included four episodes, while season four saw six episodes air before the show was axed in April 2012.
It’s unclear if the original British Top Gear will return after a serious crash involving co-host Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff halted production.
“A decision on the timing of future Top Gear shows will be made in due course with BBC Content,” a BBC spokesperson told The Independent UK. The broadcaster had reportedly told the show’s production staff to begin to look for jobs elsewhere.
