Dermot O’Leary’s Show The Getaway Car Axed By The BBC

Dermot O'Leary’s new motoring show The Getaway Car has been cancelled despite the “high hopes” BBC bosses had for its success. And the London-Irish presenter will have one less job to do this year now that the series, which he fronted with Top Gear’s The Stig, has been axed.

Credit: BBC Pictures

The Getaway Car had a Saturday night slot on the channel and was a passion project for the car enthusiast.

But it pulled in just 2.4 million viewers and TV bosses came to the conclusion they couldn’t afford to plow more money into a show that isn’t “good enough” for prime time TV.

A source told The Sun newspaper: “There were high hopes for The Getaway Car but it just didn’t get the ratings and is deemed not good enough for Saturday nights. There’s a huge shake-up after the BBC lost The Voice to ITV and bosses want new shows to compete with ITV.”

However, Dermot won’t be joining the queue for the job centre anytime soon because he’s already made a triumphant return to hosting The X Factor.

The 43-year-old TV star was shockingly dropped from the talent show he hosted for eight years last year, in favour of duo Olly Murrs and Caroline Flack, but won back his post.

It seems Simon Cowell later decided he’d made the wrong decision drafting in the less experienced presenters after ratings plummeted to their lowest ever.

We’re glad Dermot is back where he belongs.