'Top Gear' season 24 host news 2016: Chris Evans says Matt LeBlanc is 'the captain' the show needs

Matt LeBlanc, who boarded the long-running British auto show "Top Gear" for its 23rd season this year, is "the captain [the show] truly needs going forward," Chris Evans, his former co-host, has said.

The Radio 2 presenter heaped praises on LeBlanc in his weekly column for the Daily Mail on Sunday, July 10, calling the "Friends" alum "the man" and a "total mensch." He also said that LeBlanc and "Top Gear" were "made for each other."

Meanwhile, Evans said that he and the BBC Two show just "[weren't] meant to be." While the former "Top Gear" host said that his short stint on the show was an "honor, privilege, and a pleasure," he also compared himself and "Top Gear" to "a square peg in a round hole."

Earlier this month, the BBC announced that Evans is stepping down from the motoring show after just one season.

Contrary to reports that the former co-hosts' relationship had fallen apart during filming for "Top Gear" season 23, Evans gave LeBlanc a gushing endorsement, praising LeBlanc's passion for cars as well as his work ethic.

"Not only does he eat, sleep, breathe and dream engines, propshafts and trail-braking, but the overwhelming quality that struck me about him is that he's just such a pro," Evans wrote.

"The whole time I worked with him, he never once looked at the clock, was never late on set, knew his lines inside out and back to front and, most importantly on such an intense production, he always had time for everyone, especially the crew," he added.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the BBC has no plans of casting another host to replace Evans for "Top Gear" season 24. As such, LeBlanc appears set to become the popular BBC show's solo host in its upcoming season.

This has nonetheless not deterred fans from speculating on who could be named the show's new co-host in season 24. According to THR, the current favorite for the job is chef and former "Saturday Kitchen" host James Martin.

"Top Gear" season 24 will debut sometime in 2017.