Top Gear: What time is it on and what channel? Who are the guests and what will they be driving?
Everything you need to know about the very first episode of the revamped series
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Your support makes all the difference.After a rather tumultuous journey to TV screens, the first episode of the new series of Top Gear will finally air tonight.
We'll just have to see whether this first outing can survive the horde of negative rumours swirling the production, with its filming on Thursday reportedly seeing dozens of audience members leaving the studio before the show had finished filming.
That's on top of the co-hosts having to dismiss claims they fell out, a change in management, and a flurry of controversy surrounding filming near the Cenotaph. Well, fingers crossed then...
What time is it on and what channel?
The first episode of Top Gear will air 29 May, 8PM on BBC2.
Who's hosting?
Chris Evans was first confirmed as the man tasked with replacing the original trio of presenters. Of course, Top Gear isn't a one-man job and on 4 February, it was announced that Friends actor Matt LeBlanc would be joining Evans as co-host. Also onboard are F1 commentator Eddie Jordan, world record-breaking German racing driver Sabine Schmitz, car reviewer and TV presenter Rory Reid, YouTube star Chris Harris and of course, the Stig.
Who are the guests and what cars will be driven?
Episode one's guests will be Batman v Superman actor Jesse Eisenberg and chef Gordon Ramsay. It remains unclear exactly which segment the two will be participating in but it's a fair bet to assume one or both could feature in Star in a Rallycross Car - which has been announced as Star in a Reasonably Priced Car's replacement.
Elsewhere, Evans is to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Tom Cruise film Top Gun by driving a 645bhp Dodge Viper ACR in a race against co-host Schmitz's Chevy Corvette Z06 (minus the motion sickness, hopefully).
As was teased in a clip released by the BBC, LeBlanc will tackle Ariel's Nomad in the Moroccan desert and - to even out the playing field - also heads to a rain-specked Blackpool where he and Evans take a roofless Reliant Rialto for a spin.
How many episodes will there be?
Though usually eight episodes in length, this series has been cut down to merely six.
What is Extra Gear?
On top of Top Gear, viewers will also be able to enjoy a new online-only spin-off; available to view both on the BBC Three website and BBC iPlayer straight after the end of each episode. Presented by Rory Reid, the show will offer behind-the-scenes footage, plus exclusive clips and interviews cut from the main show.
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