Bike racer and all-around interesting man Guy Martin has officially turned down the BBC’s offer for him to be part of Top Gear. Martin told Commercial Motor magazine that he chose to walk away from the hosting duties in part because he didn’t want to do it. That, and he’s not too keen on living the kind of lifestyle that comes with being a host of one of the world’s most popular TV shows.
According to Martin, he’s perfectly fine with the path he’s chosen as a truck mechanic and motorcycle racer, leaving him with precious little time to do anything else. He also admitted that the small amount of TV work he already does is hard enough to fit into his daily schedule. Dedicating most of his time on Top Gear would entail a dramatic change in schedule and lifestyle, things he said he isn’t too keen on doing anytime soon. For now, Martin’s content with what he has on his plate and is perfectly fine not having to deal with the increased exposure and demands of being a Top Gear host.
Besides, he’s still recovering from his recent bike crash so that’s another issue he has to deal with in the meantime. So if anybody was hoping to see Guy Martin take up the role of a Top Gear host, that door has been officially closed by the man himself.
Continue reading to learn more about Guy Martin's decision to turn down the Top Gear hosting gig.
Why it matters
Filling the huge shoes left behind by Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond is close to an impossible task for anybody. That’s a given considering how popular the three former Top Gear hosts are to this day. As much as I love Guy Martin, I don’t think he would’ve done a good job as one of the hosts of the reformatted show. His personality, flamboyant as it is, just doesn’t seem like it fits into the whole makeup of Top Gear. Beside, he’s right when he says that he doesn’t have the time, nor the inclination to even consider it.
I’m also question how good he’s going to be if he dedicates a big chunk of his time on cars, knowing full well that he’s forte really is in motorcycles. That’s not a knock on Martin as it is my opinion that it’s just a poor fit. Add that to his aloofness and it could give rise to some pretty awkward moments on the show if he was in it.
Make no mistake, I’m a big fan of Martin and I think he’s one of the most interesting personalities in the automotive and motorcycle industries. I just don’t think he can translate well as a Top Gear host given his personality. It’s not easy trying to succeed Clarkson, Hammond, and May and the kind of chemistry they had that really made Top Gear special. Martin’s not going to be able to do it so I’m pretty happy that he turned down the chance to do it. There are just some things that you’re not meant for. Guy Martin just isn’t meant for Top Gear.