Assembling flatpack furniture, undergoing eye surgery or watching a Joey Essex documentary - they are all pursuits that British TV viewers would rather endure than watching the new Top Gear.

The fourth episode of the revamped BBC Two motoring show featuring Chris Evans was broadcast last night, with overnight ratings slumping to a new record low of just 2.3million.

This was down from last week’s total of 2.4million, which matched the lowest in the programme’s history, and a further fall from 2.8million for episode two and 4.1million for episode one.

Pointing the finger: The fourth version of the revamped BBC Two motoring show featuring Chris Evans (right) was broadcast last night, also featuring Matt Le Blanc (centre) and Chris Harris (left)

Evans interviews Professor Brian Cox (left) and adventurer Bear Grylls (centre), the Stars in a Rallycross Car

And many viewers tweeted that they were instead watching reality star Essex’s EU referendum documentary on ITV2, while others said they would rather watch repeats of the old show on Dave.

Last night Top Gear was also competing with the Switzerland v France football match in Euro 2016 on BBC1, which pulled in 6.3million viewers, and an episode of Coronation Street on ITV1.

Viewer Matthew Armstrong tweeted: 'I don't even bother watching Top Gear anymore - it's so bad I would rather have eye surgery', and another said: ‘I’d rather watch Joey Essex, how bad is that?'

However there was a stand-out moment for the show, when co-host Matt Le Blanc was praised by viewers for a joke about Thursday’s EU vote as he introduced anonymous driver The Stig.

While revealing The Stig would drive an Aston Martin Vulcan in the classic ‘some say’ style, Le Blanc said: ‘Some say he thinks Brexit is a laxative. And for tax purposes is classified as a biscuit.’

On Twitter, David Grunwald said it was the 'best Stig intro in the history of Top Gear', Matthew Butcher labelled it 'possible the best Stig quote ever' and Kamila Ceran called it a 'modern classic'.

Twitter reaction: Many TV viewers tweeted that they were instead watching reality star Joey Essex’s EU referendum documentary on ITV2, while others said they would rather watch repeats of the old show on Dave

Last night’s show saw Evans, LeBlanc and racing driver Sabine Schmitz buy cheap second-hand cars and head for Venice, aiming to ‘prove road travel can be more luxurious than taking the train’.

Meanwhile Rory Reid sampled the all-electric Tesla Model X in New York and Chris Harris drove the Aston Martin Vulcan - while Bear Grylls and Professor Brian Cox were the Stars in a Rallycross Car.

MATT LE BLANC'S BREXIT JOKE Top Gear's Le Blanc Top Gear has become known for its jokes about The Stig, which are made when introducing a clip of the anonymous racing driver in a car. The jokes are often made about current affairs, with the announcement always beginning with the phrase 'some say'. Yesterday’s from Matt Le Blanc was: 'Some say he thinks Brexit is a laxative. And for tax purposes is classified as a biscuit.’ Others in the previous version of Top Gear have included 'some say he is the third member of the Daft Punk' and 'some say he won a medal at the Olympics and then ate it'. Advertisement

Alan Tyler, Acting Controller of BBC Entertainment Commissioning, said today: ‘We are four episodes into the new Top Gear era with its new presenting line up, and remain really pleased with the way the series is performing.

‘Last night’s episode was another great watch and yet again was easily the biggest show of the day on BBC Two. Being up against a major sporting event is always tough and that is partly why the series is performing so brilliantly on catch up and BBC iPlayer.’

Separately, Countryfile host Adam Henson has made an unusual suggestion to boost ratings, suggesting that he could bring some countryside pursuits to the relaunched motoring show.

He said: ‘It would be lovely to take some celebrities... out of London... and take them on a tour of the countryside to show them what it’s all about. I think we should get a load of tractors on Top Gear with Chris Evans - I’d love to do that.’

A crossover involving BBC One’s Countryfile could bring in new viewers and provide a boost for Top Gear, which has seen hugely disappointing ratings since Evans took the helm from axed presenter Jeremy Clarkson.

The Top Gear audience hit 4.4million in the first week, and plummeted to 2.8million in its second outing. The third episode got 2.4million. In contrast, Countryfile can attract up to 9million viewers.

On beating Top Gear in the ratings, Henson said: ‘It’s absolutely delightful, yes, and producing it on a third of the budget. So I think it’s great... Countryfile is really going from strength to strength.’

Meeting Jeremy Corbyn: Many TV viewers tweeted that they were instead watching reality star Joey Essex’s EU referendum documentary on ITV2 last night

Evans, who also presents BBC Radio 2’s breakfast show, has defended the performance of the relaunched motoring programme in recent weeks, calling the new Top Gear ‘a hit’.

Countryfile host: Adam Henson made an unusual suggestion to boost ratings, saying he could bring some countryside pursuits to Top Gear

However audience appreciation figures showed Evans’s debut episode was rated by viewers as the worst quality show on terrestrial TV on the weekend that it aired, reported the Telegraph.

It had an appreciation index score of just 60 out of 100 - far below the average for a BBC2 show of 82 – while the second episode got 68.

Evans found himself having to get out of an Audi R8 V10 in episode three to be sick with his hands on his knees after feeling queasy while being driven around by Schmitz.

Absent from episode three was the controversial footage of LeBlanc performing stunts around the Cenotaph, which Evans branded ‘disrespectful’ and said he would not want aired.

Evans, 50, has been under intense scrutiny since he agreed to take over the show, and has been panned by viewers for being 'too shouty' and behaving like 'an embarrassing dad'.

He was named as the new host last year, following the departure of controversial frontman Clarkson after what was described as a 'fracas' with producer Oisin Tymon.

It was revealed that the row, which happened in a North Yorkshire hotel, took place because no hot food was provided following a day's filming.

His dismissal prompted a mass walkout as Richard Hammond, James May and Andy Wilman, the executive producer and old school friend of Clarkson, all resigned.

Top Gear with Reid Rory, Sabine Schmitz, Matt LeBlanc, Chris Evans, Chris Harris, Eddie Jordan and The Stig

Since the incident, Clarkson, May and Hammond have gone on to sign a deal for a new Amazon Prime motor show with a reported budget of £160million.

Meanwhile Evans also failed to win the support of his ex-wife, who said she prefers watching Top Gear repeats featuring Jeremy Clarkson.

HOW TOP GEAR IS LOSING VIEWERS Episode one (May 29): 4.3million viewers; 21% audience share

Episode two (June 5): 2.8million viewers; 14% audience share

Episode three (June 12): 2.4million viewers; 10% audience share

E pisode four (June 19): 2.3million viewers; 10% audience share Advertisement

Former Loose Women star Carol McGiffin, who was married to Evans for seven years in the 1990s, spoke at an art exhibition in London last week after the show suffered record low ratings.

She told the Daily Mirror: ‘The problem Chris has now is he’s trying to take the name and make it the same with a different line-up, but that won’t wash with the fans.

‘When certain people leave, especially someone as popular as Jeremy Clarkson, you can’t replicate the magic they bring to the table – although Chris is clearly trying to do that.