Matt LeBlanc Joins 'Top Gear': Former 'Friends' Actor 'Set To Earn Tidy Fee From New Presenting Role'

Matt LeBlanc To Earn Tidy Fee From New 'Top Gear' Role
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Matt LeBlanc looks set to earn a pretty penny from his forthcoming stint co-hosting ‘Top Gear’.

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Following months of speculation, Matt was confirmed to be joining the presenting team of the new series on Thursday, ahead of the rebooted show’s launch in May.

It has now been reported that his presenting duties, which he’ll be sharing with Chris Evans and other stars yet to be revealed, look set to earn him a cool £500K, according to The Mirror.

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Matt LeBlanc

The newspaper also claim that Chris will be earning an impressive £3 million, to front ‘Top Gear’ for the next three series.

Matt’s appointment as Chris’s right-hand man might seem like an unorthodox choice to those who know him as Joey Tribbiani from ‘Friends’, but he’s actually no stranger to the BBC show, having guested on it twice before when Jeremy Clarkson was still at the helm.

In fact, he even holds the record for the the celebrity with the fastest speed in the infamous ‘Star In A Reasonably-Priced Car’ challenge.

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Matt, Chris and The Stig

Speaking about his appointment, Matt said: “As a car nut and a massive fan of ‘Top Gear’, I'm honoured and excited to be a part of this iconic show’s new chapter. What a thrill!”

Chris added: “Matt’s a lifelong fellow petrolhead and I’m thrilled he's joining ‘Top Gear’. Acting out our craziest car notions on screen is a dream job and I know we’ll both be debating some epic road trip ideas. We can’t wait to share what we’ve been up to on screen later this year.”

A statement from the BBC said that Matt will join production of the new ‘Top Gear’ “immediately”, with “additional cast members will be confirmed shortly”.

‘Top Gear’ is set to return to our screens on Sunday 8 May.

Possible 'Top Gear' Presenters
Guy Martin (01 of14)
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Guy Martin is another star whose name has been mentioned often in relation to the presenting roles.
Jodie Kidd (02 of14)
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Jodie was spotted enjoying lunch with Jeremy Clarkson in the wake of his sacking - does she already have his blessing? (credit:Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Nick Knowles(03 of14)
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Just days ago, Nick revealed that he has been in talks with BBC bosses. (credit:Mark Cuthbert via Getty Images)
Suzi Perry(04 of14)
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Suzi's name has also come up often, during talk of a shortlist. (credit:Dave J Hogan via Getty Images)
Philip Glenister (05 of14)
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The actor's name has popped up often, and in May it was reported that he was in "advanced talks" with the BBC. (credit:Jon furniss/Invision/AP)
Will Mellor(06 of14)
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In April, sources revealed that bosses were considering Will, in the hope that he'd bring "a younger audience" to the show. (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
David Hasselhoff (07 of14)
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The Hoff threw his hat into the ring last month, answering with a simple, "Why not?", when asked whether he'd be up for presenting the motoring show. (credit:KGC-143/STAR MAX/IPx)
Stephen Fry(08 of14)
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Bookies William Hill are offering odds of 10/1 on TV star Stephen nabbing the role. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
James Blunt(09 of14)
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James Blunt's also made the bookies' shortlist with odds of 12/1. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Dermot O'Leary(10 of14)
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Dermot's left the 'X Factor' behind, and he's already on the Beeb's books thanks to his Radio 2 show. (credit:Stuart C. Wilson via Getty Images)
Jake Humphrey(11 of14)
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BT vision presenter Jake Humphrey is 8/1 to be a co-host. (credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
Jamiroquai (12 of14)
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Jamiroquai loves his cars - could he make the move to television? (credit:Sowetan via Getty Images)
Adrian Chiles (13 of14)
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Well... he's not doing much at the moment is he? (credit:Tristan Fewings via Getty Images)
Nigel Mansell(14 of14)
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We reckon former Formula One World Champion Nigel Mansell would be a perfect choice. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)