Top Gear: Chris Evans allegedly 'threatened to quit' the BBC show because of 'meddling' bosses

'He was being driven to distraction when all he wanted to do was make good television'

Chris Evans, the new presenter of BBC's Top Gear programme, and The Stig pose together (Yui Mok/PA Wire)

In another blow for Chris Evans’s Top Gear, it has been reported that the BBC presenter threatened to quit the show because of ‘meddling’ BBC bosses.

The Mirror claimed the 49-year-old grew frustrated after BBC2 controller Kim Shillinglaw - who recently left the show - was reluctant to give him the same creative control as ex-host Jeremy Clarkson.

Sources told the paper that Evans was annoyed with the “constant interference” from the BBC chiefs, stating how he felt “drained and disheartened” after all the run-ins and recent set backs.

Due to this “lack of faith” in his decision making, Evans reportedly considered quitting just six months into his three year contract.

The source said: “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.

“He was working his behind off and just didn’t feel the love coming back from certain BBC executives.”

“They were constantly on the case - and getting involved with production issues. It wasn’t something Chris is used to dealing with.

“He was being driven to distraction by all this when all he wanted to do was make good television.

“Things got so bad that he made his feelings very clear. It was more or less a ‘butt out or I’m out’ situation.

“Whether he would have carried out the threat is another issue - but the message was obvious.”

Evans’s Top Gear has suffered from numerous blows over the last few months, with photo’s emerging online of the presented apparently ‘throwing up’ by the side of a race course leading to claims he was “unfit for the job”.

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There were also claims Evans couldn’t “talk and drive at the same time”, something the BBC later refuted. The broadcasters also dismissed rumours the show is ‘in crisis’.

In better news for the new Top Gear, ex-host James May came to it's defence saying he “hopes Evans does well”, while also criticising the BBC for broadcasting a ‘best of’ program over the Christmas period.