Ever since Top Gear was pulled from screens due to Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff’s horror accident, fans have been missing their fix of the car enthusiasts.
It’s recently been confirmed two of the hosts, Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris, will be starring in a new road trip show, but the news has made fans hopeful for a reboot of the classic series.
Road Trippin’ will see the duo travel across Europe, but hopeful Top Gear viewers are already placing their bets on who could be starring in a new series.
Surprisingly, Gordon Ramsay is the frontrunner according to BettingSites, with the chef boasting odds of 6/4 to host a future series of the car show.
Others high on the list include footballer Micah Richards at 7/4, Jamie Redknapp with odds of 9/4 and comedian Romesh Ranganathan at 5/2.
The extensive list also includes McGuinness, Ian Wright, John Bishop and Sue Perkins. Former Top Gear icon Richard Hammond is low on the list at 25/1, with his co-star Jeremy Clarkson at the bottom with 40/1 odds.
Ramsay is the favourite to front a new Top Gear series
BBC/Getty
BettingSits’ Lee Astley commented: “Gordon Ramsay is a certified car aficionado, and has a stronger resumé than most having starred in Gordon, Gino and Fred’s Road Trip – a decidedly Top Gear-esque adventure show on wheels.
“A League of Their Own trio Micah Richards, Jamie Redknapp and Romesh Ranganathan have a unique dynamic that could work, while racing presenters Steve Jones and Lee McKenzie could help push Top Gear towards the petrol-head audience.”
Flintoff’s accident left the 46-year-old with life-threatening injuries and scars which he is still recovering from following the 2022 incident, and the BBC has since decided to shelve the long-running show.
The broadcaster announced in November last year it would “rest” Top Gear for the “foreseeable future” almost a year after the serious accident.
Gordon Ramsay starred in a roadtrip series alongside fellow chefs Gino D’Acampo and Fred Sirieix
ITV
McGuinness, who hosted the motoring programme alongside Flintoff from 2019, has apparently not spoken to his former co-star in a long time.
The Sun reported it has been “10 months” since the 50-year-old talked to the former cricketer.
He told the publication in March: “Who knows what he must be going through? I still see his wife and we still chat, and we have the same barber, and it’s all lovely.
“I messaged Fred recently saying, ‘Look, I can’t begin to think what you’re going through but rather than me bombarding you with loads of messages, which can be annoying, if you can’t be a***d with that, I’m always here. I hope you’re well and please God, I’ll see you soon.'”
The trio starred in Top Gear until Freddie’s 2022 accident
BBC
At the end of last year, the BBC announced: “Given the exceptional circumstances, the BBC has decided to rest the UK show for the foreseeable future.
“The BBC remains committed to Freddie, Chris [Harris] and Paddy [McGuinness] who have been at the heart of the show’s renaissance since 2019, and we’re excited about new projects being developed with each of them.”
However, calls for the show to be brought back have continued.