LONDON ¨C Matt LeBlanc, former star of 1990s U.S. hit comedy ¡°Friends,¡± said on Thursday he will step down as co-host of the BBC motoring program ¡°Top Gear¡± after the next series.
The American actor, who achieved global fame as Joey Tribbiani in the NBC sitcom, was the first non-British host of the show when he started in 2016.
The BBC said Le Blanc, 50, was finding the travel demands of the show too taxing.
¡°The time commitment and extensive travel ... takes me away from my family and friends more than I¡¯m comfortable with,¡± LeBlanc said in a statement.
¡°It¡¯s unfortunate, but for these reasons I will not be continuing my involvement with the show. I will forever be a Top Gear fan and I wish the team continued success. Thanks for a great drive.¡±
¡°Top Gear,¡± one of the BBC¡¯s most successful and profitable shows, was taken off air in 2015 after its then star, Jeremy Clarkson, physically attacked a member of the production staff.
Clarkson and his co-stars, Richard Hammond and James May, now present a car show for Amazon, ¡°The Grand Tour.¡±
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