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Matt LeBlanc Revved Up To Be First Non-British ‘Top Gear’ Host

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The BBC Show Top Gear is taking Matt Leblanc far from the New York City block of Friends — the new host of the ultimate car program has already been to Morocco, France, South Africa, Cuba, Italy and Kazakhstan for the show.

“I would watch the show before and say, ‘That looks so fun and I’d love to be a part of that,’ and here I am now,” LeBlanc told ABC News. “It’s a car show for petrol heads, obviously, but it’s also got a bit of travel in it. You’ve got a bit of culture in it. It’s got a bit of comedy in it.”

BBC announced LeBlanc as a co-host in February, along with British star Chris Evans. Since then, he’s filmed in England (where he hasn’t gone unnoticed) and across the world as the first American with the gig.

LeBlanc and Evans replace Jeremy Clarkson, who was removed from the show after attacking one its producers.

The new season of the show premieres on BBC America on May 30.

[ABC News]

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Write to Julia Zorthian at julia.zorthian@time.com