'Top Gear' Host Matt LeBlanc Left 'Shaken' During Incident On Set

Matt LeBlanc was reportedly forced to take time out from filming ‘Top Gear’ in South Africa, after being left “shaken” by an incident on set.

The former ‘Friends’ actor is said to have come close to accidentally running over a member of the crew, when he took one of the show’s cars for a test spin during a break in filming last month.

According to The Mirror, Matt didn’t realise that a member of the crew was lying down on the ground as he prepared to hit the accelerator, leaving it to another member of the ‘Top Gear’ team to alert him.

An insider told the newspaper: “In between filming, Matt got into a Porsche they’d been road-testing, turned on the ignition and was about to take it for a drive.

“But he was completely unaware one of the cameramen was lying down alongside it at ground level, filming low shots.

“The crew member was completely oblivious Matt was about to speed off too – but a tracking cameraman, who was sat in the distance, could see what was about to happen and started waving and screaming at Matt to stop.”

The source continued: “Matt was a bit confused but got out of the car. When he realised he could have run the man over he was noticeably shaken up. He said he needed a bit of time out.

“He reappeared a few hours later, wanting to know that the cameraman was OK – which he was. He said, ‘Where’s that guy I nearly ran over?’

“It was one of those instances where, if the tracking man and Matt had reacted even a few seconds later, it could have been really serious. Both of them appreciated what a lucky escape it was.”

Since head presenter Chris Evans began filming the new series of ‘Top Gear’ with the new additions to the presenting line-up, various on-set problems have been reported in the press, most notably a stunt filmed at the Cenotaph in London, which has now been scrapped after being branded “disrespectful” by critics.

However, the BBC has repeatedly denied that things aren’t going well behind the scenes, with Mark Linsey, the Acting Director of Television at the BBC recently insisting: “Chris is a consummate professional and a real team-player. He is a passionate presenter who commits his heart and soul into everything he does - whether his Radio 2 show, Children In Need or ‘Top Gear’ - and we are extremely fortunate to have him leading the show.”