Who is former Top Gear presenter Chris Harris?
Plus why Top Gear was shelved
CHRIS Harris is best known for presenting hit show Top Gear.
He has since left the role but fans of the car show may wonder what he did before starring in the famous BBC TV series.
Who is Chris Harris?
Chris was born on January 27, 1975 and is a journalist who has made a career in the automotive field as a writer, presenter and driver.
His writing credits start with Autocar magazine where he climbed the ranks to road-test editor, writing opinion pieces and reviews on cars.
He has also appeared in a series of YouTube videos and created his own show Chris Harris On Cars, which was later bought and moved to the BBC's website.
Before moving over to the main programme, Chris and Rory Reid hosted the Top Gear spin-off show called Extra Gear.
On top of his reviewing responsibilities, he also races - and has taken part in the Nurburgring 24 hours endurance test three times in 2010, 2015 and 2016.
However, his team had to pull out of the 2016 race after their car was wrecked in a practice round.
When did Chris Harris join Top Gear?
In February 2016, Harris officially joined the cast of Top Gear.
He served as an occasional presenter for Top Gear before he was promoted to a main presenter.
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Chris originally presented the series alongside co-hosts Matt LeBlanc and Rory Reid.
He then hosted the show with Freddie Flintoff and Paddy McGuinness before the show was shelved due to Freddie's crash.
It was announced in March 2024 that Chris would be filming a new show alongside Paddy.
Their new programme, currently called Chris & Paddy: Roadtrip, sees them head out on the highway for a turbo-charged adventure around Europe and is due to kick off this spring.
A BBC Studios insider said: “This is a brand new travelogue show for Paddy and Chris.
"The duo will travel across Europe, using various modes of transport, visiting people to find the secrets to wellness and happiness — no stunts, no car reviews.”
Is Chris Harris married?
Chris is reportedly married with three children although he likes to keep his personal life private.
Details of his marriage and family life remain unknown.
Is Chris Harris adopted?
Yes, Chris is adopted.
He posted about his adoptive father in 2020 saying: "My father in the late 1940s. A tall white man who adopted a small brown kid.
"That took guts in the mid 1970s. Been gone for a long time now. I thank him every day."
How much did Chris Harris get paid for Top Gear?
It was reported that Chris was paid around £716,000 per series of Top Gear.
He's said to be worth an estimated £7million which he would've earned throughout his impressive career.