The comedian best known for portraying the silent character Mr Bean could breathe new life into a classic BBC motoring programme, according to sources.
Rowan Atkinson, aged 71, inhabits a contemporary glass residence nestled in the Chiltern Hills region of southern Oxfordshire.
The property was conceived by the globally acclaimed architect Richard Meier.
Away from his work in the entertainment sector, Atkinson has cultivated a reputation as an automobile devotee and maintains a notable garage of vehicles.
His assortment comprises a 1964 Ford Falcon Sprint, a 1939 BMW 328 Roadster, and a Honda NSX.
The performer experienced two separate incidents involving his McLaren F1 high-performance vehicle before offloading it in 2015 for about $12.2 million.
Reports now indicate that his enthusiasm for motoring could secure him a position on the refreshed iteration of Top Gear.
The London Evening Standard has nominated him as a prospective candidate for one of the presenting roles.
The publication noted that Atkinson qualifies as a car enthusiast possessing a collection worth several million pounds, rendering him another viable option for the programme.
Throughout his life, Atkinson has participated regularly in motorsport competitions and holds a particular affection for the Goodwood Revival gathering, expressing that no other motorsport event globally can compare to it.
During his guest appearance on Top Gear during series seventeen, Atkinson recorded a lap time of 1:42.2, which placed him at the summit of the celebrity leaderboard at that juncture.
The BBC has officially announced that Top Gear will return to broadcast four years after an incident that nearly proved fatal to presenter Andrew Flintoff.
At a recent industry gathering, the BBC’s director of entertainment Ed Havard faced inquiries regarding the programme’s revival.
He stated that considerable conjecture had circulated but that Top Gear would indeed be returning to screens.
He declined to elaborate on personnel matters during that discussion.
When pressed about the possibility of Jimmy Carr occupying a presenting role, Havard responded that Carr would make an excellent host but that such discussions would not take place at that time.
He indicated that further details concerning Top Gear would follow shortly.