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Top Gear host quits after ratings plummet

London — Host Chris Evans says he's quitting the BBC's flagship car show, Top Gear, saying "standing aside is the single best thing I can do."

The show has struggled to draw a big audience since it was relaunched in May, hosted by Evans and Matt LeBlanc.

The revamped show attracted just 1.9 million viewers to its season finale on Sunday in the UK.

Evans has tweeted out the following about his resignation: 

Mark Linsey, director of BBC Studios, says Evans believes that the remaining producing and presenting team will be able to "take the show forward and make it the hit we want it to be."

The show was rebooted following the high-profile departures of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. May and Hammond quit after Clarkson was fired for hitting a producer. The trio will host a new car show on Amazon Prime.

UPDATE

According to the Telegraph Evans is to be questioned by the investigators over allegations of sexual assault. On Monday a former female colleague accused Evans of a 'non-recent sexual assault' incident that took place in 1990s.  

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