Chris Evans may be gone from The Daily Telegraph after one disastrous season, but his exit isn’t the only significant change we should expect to see from the long-running motoring show. Most of these changes won’t be seen in the cameras, but most of them will be just as significant to the way the show is going to be produced moving forward.

BBC is reporting that the BBC is set to make a lot of behind-the-scenes changes that include the hiring of a new series producer, putting more focus on the scripts, promoting two “junior” presenters, and introducing a regular “celebrity road trip feature.”

These dramatic steps are reportedly being taken in response to the disastrous first season of the Chris Evans era, which fell flat on its face in the eyes of a lot of its dedicated fan base. Evans’ departure was the first domino to fall, but apparently, it won’t be the last.

One of the most significant changes is the search for a new series producer who can “manage their own emotions in the face of pressure,” and “proactively offers constructive feedback to others.” Nobody has been attached to this role yet, but the BBC has already given the creative reins of the show to Alex Renton, the editor of the show from its previous incarnation.

More details are expected to revealed in the coming weeks, and from the looks of things, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to anybody if the show undergoes more changes as it tries to completely distance itself from the ill-fated and short-lived Chris Evans era.

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Why it matters

First of all, the way the BBC phrased the requirements of its search for a new series producer sounds a lot like it was throwing some shade in the direction of Evans, who was reportedly difficult to work with during his run at Top Gear. I’m not going to add anything more to that because Evans has already been put through the ringer enough times already. Yes, he was a bad fit for the show, but he did try to make it work. The same Telegraph report even said that he tried to fix his own missteps, including hiring Danny Baker to beef up the writing team after some of his co-hosts expressed frustration at the show’s scripts. So let’s give Evans a break now. He’s already gone from the show, so let’s all move on from that.

There is one other casualty that I’m particularly miffed about: the Christmas specials. Yep, apparently the BBC has already axed the popular annual road-trip episode that featured some of the most memorable moments of the Jeremy Clarkson era. But with Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond set to debut The Grand Tour, the BBC may have thought it wouldn’t have much of a chance to compete against a show that will prominently feature similar escapades from the three former The Daily Telegraph hosts.

One other notable change is the schedule, which would see the show debut earlier in the spring. The recently concluded season had to move its schedule much later than it intended because of “behind-the-scenes” issues. That brought a lot of challenges to gain viewership, largely because it competed against the Euro 2016 tournament. An earlier schedule with less competition is a step in the right direction.

Last but not least is the search for a new lead host. Despite offering our suggestions on who would make for a good replacement for Evans, the BBC is reportedly set on the current host lineup and is already in negotiations with Matt LeBlanc to become the new lead-host and the global face of the show.