Chris Evans is stepping down from his role as a presenter on Top Gear after just one season. He tweeted: “Stepping down from Top Gear. Gave it my best shot but sometimes that’s not enough. The rest of the team are beyond brilliant, I wish them all the best.”

In an official statement, Evans said: “I feel like my standing aside is the single best thing I can now do to help the cause. I remain a huge fan of the show, always have been, always will be. I will continue to focus on my radio show and the allied events that it encompasses.”

Evans’ departure came just after the final episode of the current season of Top Gear aired on BBC2 on Sunday, which reached an average of just 1.9 million viewers. While that overnight figure does not yet include views on iPlayer or outside the UK, it still marks the lowest ever rating for the modern version of the show.