After three incredible years of cohosting the beloved British TV show Top Gear, Matt LeBlanc has made the tough decision to step away. But here's the thing: his reason for leaving hits close to home for a lot of parents out there. He wants to spend more quality time with his daughter, Marina Pearl. It's not about the fame or the glitz; it's about making sure he's present for the moments that matter most in life.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the 51-year-old shared that the decision wasn't something he made lightly. "I didn’t decide not to come back until after we’d finished making the series," he revealed. "When everything wrapped up, we had this little celebration. There was champagne, and we all toasted to how great the shows turned out." He added with a chuckle, "I didn’t feel sad at the time because I hadn’t yet decided not to renew my contract. It was only later, when I had some time to reflect, that the decision became clear."
Life Beyond the Spotlight
Once the cameras stopped rolling and Matt returned to his cattle ranch in California, he began to realize just how much he needed a break. "I’m 51, and let me tell you, I’m tired," the actor confessed. "Between Top Gear and my sitcom Man With A Plan in LA, I was juggling two full-time jobs. That’s a lot of work, and somehow I managed to pull it off. But it caught up with me." The constant travel and long hours began to take their toll, and Matt knew it was time to make a change.
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Le Mans.
Finding Balance in Life
For Matt, the decision to leave Top Gear wasn’t just about physical exhaustion. It was about finding balance. "I was jet-lagged for three years!" he exclaimed. "I finally had some time off, and I realized I wasn’t sure about going back to Top Gear. I had time to think, to spend with my daughter, and to reconnect with my friends and family. It made me realize how much I missed them all." He went on to explain, "You need balance between work and play, and mine was completely out of whack. It was time to move on, and I’m really glad I made that call."
Matt shares his 15-year-old daughter with his ex-wife, Melissa McKnight, whom he was married to from 2003 to 2006. He’ll officially bow out of the car-focused series once the current season wraps up, which is set to conclude on Sunday, February 17. "It was an incredible experience, one I’ll never forget," he said, reflecting on his time with the show. "The cars were a blast, and I made some great friends along the way, especially Chris Harris, who I spent a lot of time with."
It was kinda funny. @topgear
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Will Daughter Marina Pearl Watch 'Friends'?
With more time on his hands, one might think Matt would finally get the chance to sit down with his daughter and watch Friends. But according to Matt, that’s not going to happen anytime soon. "It’s not really her thing," he admitted with a laugh. "Some of her friends have mentioned it to her, and maybe one day she’ll get into it on her own, but right now, I think she thinks it’s a little too much Dad for her." He joked, "Now that I’m home so much, she probably feels like she sees me enough already!"
As Matt steps into this next chapter of his life, it’s clear that family comes first. And who could blame him? After all, life’s too short not to prioritize the people who matter most.
