Top Gear Names New Host

The BBC has hired Chris Evans to be the new front man of the British television station's irreverent Top Gear auto enthusiast program.

He replaces Jeremy Clarkson, who was fired in March after several well-publicized transgressions that culminated with him punching one of his producers while filming on location.

Evans, a popular British radio and TV personality, inked a three-year deal to host the internationally acclaimed car show. Known for his comedic style, he describes Top Gear as his all-time favorite program and vows to continue the show's hard-edged approach but likely in a less offensive manner than the controversial Clarkson.

The original Top Gear launched in 1977 as a conventional car review program. After a brief hiatus, the show resumed in 2002 with Clarkson in the lead role. It became wildly successful, thanks in large part to a variety of offbeat segments and provocative humor from Clarkson and co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May.

Replacements for Hammond and May, who quit after Clarkson was sacked, haven't been named yet. The fate of "The Stig," the show's iconic anonymous test driver, hasn't been announced but is expected to return under the new regime.

Filming of new episodes are scheduled to begin in coming weeks. Clarkson's last episode will air on June 28.