With Clarkson, etc. though it didn't really feel mean spirited, some of it was a bit mean but it was more in the way it was presented rather than the actual spirit between them. This season feels a lot more mean spirited.
I raised a bit of an eyebrow as well. But it seems Harris isn't bothered in the slightest. So, meh.
https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a2825...-flintoff-paddy-mcguinness-bullying-response/
That said...
I've only watched the 1st two episodes so far and can already tell Flintoff still have that lads together bullying the little guy mentality from school. If that's all he brings to the show then he has to go.
..I kind of agree that he doesn't bring much to the lineup.
Paddy is a natural presenter, who brings that kind of "front man" element to the show, a role that used to be Clarkson's - into cars, but a bit of an oaf (and although probably scripted, a I find a lot of his quips pretty funny).
Chris is the more technical, nerdy, less "cool" character...does the interesting bits, actually knows about cars mechanically, bit like May (although Chris is also a proper driver).
Freddy doesn't really come across as...anything. He doesn't seem half as good a presenter as the other two, nor does he seem to have an in depth knowledge of cars.
That said, I'm still enjoying the show more in this series. There's more little "Top Gear-isms". Like in last weeks' episode, where McGuinness opened the Lamborghini door of his car while there was an open drinks bottle in the door card cupholder. Silly little things like that make me chuckle