Chris Evans already tipped for axe after Top Gear proves a ratings flop despite his insistence show was a hit

CHRIS Evans is odds on to be fired from Top Gear after figures confirmed the show was a ratings flop.

The programme drew an average of just 4.3million viewers – despite Evans admitting he would be “disappointed” if the ratings didn’t reach 5 million.

Bookies now offered punters odds of 1/4 that it would be the last series of the show with Chris Evans at the helm and 1/2 that the show would be axed altogether.

The figures for the much-hyped debut didn’t even come close to axed presenter Jeremy Clarkson’s average of 5.6million, with the old Top Gear’s highest ever episode hitting a whopping 8.4million.

A source said: “This really isn’t the start producers would have wanted. Chris made a rod for his own back by publicly predicting he would get five million viewers.

“The launch show was the one episode everyone thought would be a huge hit – given the unbelievable hype and mass promoting of the show for the last few months. But it was just an embarrassment.”

The season opener immediately hit the skids with droves of viewers taking to Twitter to criticise “cringeworthy” and “shouty” frontman Evans and his “bored” co-host Matt LeBlanc.

Last week Evans revealed that he thought the show would be a success and publicly admitted he wanted to hit the 5million mark with his first episode.

The 50-year-old Radio DJ said: “I think we’ve produced the best show we can produce, that’s all we can do.”

“If we had to guess about the number of viewers we are going to get on Sunday night, you have got to say you would be disappointed if it was under five million.

“Five million-plus would be great, after that it doesn’t matter.”

But the show fell well below Evans’ expected benchmark and barely managed to stay ahead of BBC1’s cheap-to-produce Antiques Roadshow which also aired at 8pm and drew an average of 3.8million viewers.

Meanwhile, Top Gear lost its regular title of being Sunday night’s most watched show to Countryfile, which peaked at 5.3million viewers and had an impressive 27% share of viewers.

Deluded Evans last night insisted that the opener was a success as he posted a series of defensive tweets.

He wrote: “The new Top Gear is a hit. OFFICIALLY.”

He added: “Top Gear audience grew throughout t

he hour. FACT. Won its slot. FACT. Still number one on iPlayer. FACT. These are THE FACTS folks.”

Meanwhile, Alan Tyler, BBC Acting Controller Entertainment Commissioner, added: “Chris and Matt have successfully kicked off a whole new era in style and we are really looking forward to bringing our audiences even more thrills as the series continues.”

Many fans have also called for the return of ex-host Clarkson, whose new show, The Grand Tour, with James May and Richard Hammond, launches on Amazon Prime later this year.

WHERE THE SHOW WENT WRONG:

Presenters

New frontman Evans was the main source of complaint for fans – with many viewers slamming the host for “shouting” through the entire first episode and for his “cringeworthy” Clarkson impressions.

Co-host LeBlanc, branded “Mr Wooden”, was also blasted for constantly looking “bored” and for being heavily reliant on autocue.

LeBlanc and Evans had a distinct lack of chemistry throughout the episode as producers included forced clips of the pair high-fiving and walking arm-in-arm.

Their poor connection was brought on by numerous feuds ahead of the show; including the Cenotaph stunt.

Guests

Top Gear suffered a blow as Brad Pitt pulled out of the first episode – leaving geeky actor Jesse Eisenberg and chef Gordon Ramsay as the show’s first guests.

The pair were criticised for looking “uncomfortable” and for their bad attempts at humour in the Star in a Rallycross Car segment.

Format

The presenters failed to breathe new life into the old format.

While viewers were expecting the reboot to wipe the board clean and have a completely new format, the show had the exact same set-up, same theme tune and same challenges as Clarkson’s version.

Script

The script had a significant lack of “fluidity” as the show jumped between segments.

The script was also criticised for lacking any humour – as the only jokes which managed to create laughter were poor Clarkson jibes.

Evans made a dig at Clarkson in the first two minutes – joking about his rival’s sacking for punching producer Oisin Tymon.

Stunts

The Reliant Robin segment appeared to be a rip-off of Clarkson’s version – which previously did a huge feature on the small three-wheeled car.

They first featured on Top Gear in 2010 when Clarkson was shown overturning and rolling a red Robin numerous times.