Chris Evans is stepping down from his role as a presenter on Top Gear after just one season. He tweeted: "Stepping down from Top Gear. Gave it my best shot but sometimes that's not enough. The rest of the team are beyond brilliant, I wish them all the best."

In an official statement, Evans said: "I feel like my standing aside is the single best thing I can now do to help the cause. I remain a huge fan of the show, always have been, always will be. I will continue to focus on my radio show and the allied events that it encompasses.”

Evans' departure came just after the final episode of the current season of Top Gear aired on BBC2 on Sunday, which reached an average of just 1.9 million viewers. While that overnight figure does not yet include views on iPlayer or outside the UK, it still marks the lowest ever rating for the modern version of the show.

The latest season of Top Gear—which underwent a dramatic revamp as Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May left following a "fracas" involving Clarkson and a producer—has been shedding viewers since the first episode. Numerous executives have departed since, with reports of tension on the set between Evans and American co-host Matt LeBlanc.

Evans faced particular criticism from the tabloid press, with claims that he bullied other members of staff on the show. A report from The Sun in April said that Evans was seen to "shout so viciously that the producer was reduced to tears and an engineer had to tell him to stop." More recently, in May, The Sun reported allegations of sexual harassment that were made against Evans. Evans has denied the claims.

Stepping down from Top Gear. Gave it my best shot but sometimes that's not enough. The team are beyond brilliant, I wish them all the best. — Chris Evans (@achrisevans) July 4, 2016

Evans has also been critcised simply for not being likeable enough to front the show. Speaking to the BBC, Perry McCarthy, the original Top Gear Stig said: "Chris is an enormously popular radio presenter and TV show host but he hasn't quite gelled with this show, he's not really gelling with the viewers...I probably wouldn't want to continue if I was getting constant criticism either."

While Top Gear hasn't been doing well in the ratings, not everyone on the show has suffered. In particular, Chris Harris and Rory Reid have been widely praised for their segments on the main show, with their online-only Extra Gear proving popular on BBC iPlayer. LeBlanc has also fared well; the BBC is understood to be negotiating with the actor for a second season.

Meanwhile, Clarkson, Hammond, and May are set to launch a new car show—dubbed The Grand Tour—exclusively on Amazon this Autumn.