Tinie Tempah ‘set to host new Channel 4 car show called Bangers’ to fill Top Gear gap

Rapper Tinie Tempah is reportedly set to host new Channel 4 show.

It’s claimed that the Frisky rapper, 34, has been lined up to present a classic car series called Bangers

According to a report, the hope is that the new Channel 4 motoring show fill the gap left after the latest series of Top Gear was axed by BBC.

The format will allegedly ‘unearth unique classics’ and see Tinie take them for a spin while also meeting the owners to find out about the history of the vehicles.

Tinie – real name Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu – is famously fond of motoring and made a guest appearance on an episode of Top Gear back in March 2016 with Friends star Matt LeBlanc and radio host Chris Evans.

At the helm: The format will allegedly ‘unearth unique classics’ and see the rapper take them for a spin while also meeting the owners to find out about the history of the vehicles

An insider told The Sun: ‘Bangers is filling the Top Gear hole for petrolhead viewers and is headed for primetime. It will celebrate classic cars from the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties and take them for a spin. 

‘It will unearth unique classics and real gems of the decades, visit the cars’ owners and look at their history. Tinie is a great option as the talent attached to the project because he adores cars.’

MailOnline has contacted Channel 4 for comment. 

Back in March, the BBC axed the latest series of Top Gear after a horror crash that left presenter Andrew Flintoff ‘lucky to be alive.’

The sportsman has reportedly said he was unable to continue in his role after he was involved in an accident while filming at a test track on December 13 last year.

He was airlifted to hospital with facial injuries and broken ribs after the car he was driving – an open-topped three-wheel 130mph Morgan Super 3 which doesn’t have air bags – flipped over at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey.

Filming on the series was suspended while Flintoff recovered from his injuries and investigations took place, with reports the former professional cricketer was putting his TV career on hold.

Filling the gap? Back in March, the BBC axed the latest series of Top Gear after a horror crash left Andrew Flintoff ‘lucky to be alive (Pictured with Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness)

Scary: Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff (pictured) was seriously injured in a crash while filming the latest series of Top Gear

The corporation said it had shelved the show while it was claimed the former cricketer felt unable to come back as he had been ‘seriously emotionally and physically affected by the crash’.

Reports have said the father-of-four had decided to leave the programme before the BBC confirmed it was halting filming of the next series, which had been set for release in the autumn. 

An insider told The Times: ‘Freddie has been seriously emotionally and physically affected by the crash. He is a daredevil, that’s what he does, and he doesn’t feel like he is able to continue to play that role on the show.’

The BBC confirmed it had apologised to the presenter, adding that it ‘will continue to support’ Flintoff ‘with his recovery’.

It also said: ‘Under the circumstances, we feel it would be inappropriate to resume making series 34 of Top Gear at this time. 

‘We understand this will be disappointing for fans, but it is the right thing to do, and we’ll make a judgment about how best to continue later this year.

‘This has also impacted the production team, who we continue to support. Finally there will be a health and safety review of the show, in line with our procedures.’

The incident was said to have left the cast and crew ‘reeling from the shock’, with concerns over the future of the show which has had a history of serious crashes.

Top Gear crashes through the years 

Richard Hammond crashes a Vampire Dragster – 2006 

Richard was left fighting for his life after crashing the jet-powered car while going at 288mph as he tested the vehicle at the former RAF Elvington airbase near York. Hammond was completing a seventh and final run in the car when the front-right tyre blew-out and the dragster veered off the runway, rolled over, and Hammond was left with a traumatic head injury and was in a coma for two weeks. In the year following the crash the TV presenter returned to the show and spoke about the crash on the Jonathan Ross Show, but couldn’t remember any of it because of his injuries.

Shocking: Richard was left fighting for his life after crashing the Vampire Dragster while going at 288mph as he tested the vehicle at the former RAF Elvington airbase

Freddie Flintoff crashes a jet trike – 2019

In September, Freddie revealed he suffered a nasty escape after a high speed crash in a jet trike during filming. The cricket star, 45, insisted he was ‘absolutely fine’ after his jet trike careered off the road during a race at the Elvington Airfield near York. Freddie reportedly careered his high speed trike off the road as he filmed the high-speed race. Crew members rushed to Freddie – who was wearing a full motorcycling suit and helmet for the scenes – but he emerged with barely a scratch.

Close call: In September last year, Freddie revealed he suffered a nasty escape after a high speed crash in a jet trike during filming

Paddy McGuinness’ back axle comes off his Pontiac Firebird – 2020

In the latest series of Top Gear, Paddy embarked on the ‘original’ American Road Trip with Freddie and Chris Harris. He arrived in their start point of Peru with a Pontiac Firebird which didn’t have a roof amongst several other problems. When the trio decided to test out their cars on a straight 1/4 mile stretch of road Paddy’s car only got a few yards before the back end of the axle came apart entirely and he was forced to abandon the car.

In the latest series of Top Gear, Paddy was forced to abandon his Pontiac Firebird after the back end of the axle came apart entirely (pictured)

Jeremy Clarkson flips over his Reliant Robin – 2010

In a now famous segment from Top Gear, former presenter Jeremy flipped over a Reliant Robin multiple times. The motorcar journalist was flipping it over to prove that the three-wheeled car could easily tip over. In his Sunday Times driving column Jeremy revealed that he had actually asked crew to tinker with the car ‘so that the poor little thing rolled over every time I turned the steering wheel’.

Flipping heck: In a now famous segment from Top Gear, former presenter Jeremy Clarkson flipped over a Reliant Robin multiple times (pictured)