Matt LeBlanc on 'Top Gear': Joey Tribbiani Gets Own Co-Hosting Gig with Chris Evans!

Golden Globe-winning actor Matt LeBlanc, best known for playing Joey Tribbiani on Friends and now a fictionalized version of himself in Episodes, has moved on to a new project: co-hosting Top Gear! LeBlanc will be fulfilling Joey's dream of hosting his own show, joining Chris Evans and becoming the first non-Brit host of the motor show.

The BBC made the announcement this Thursday. As the show expands its markets well beyond the borders of the United Kingdom the Friends alum is the first non-British person to co-host the show in its entire 39-year history. Alan Tyler, who serves as acting controller for entertainment commissioning in the BBC, has called the actor "a class act and a brilliant signing," and even Evans has spoken up in favor of his new partner.

"Matt's a lifelong fellow petrolhead and I'm thrilled he's joining Top Gear," new co-host Evans said through a statement. "Acting out our craziest car notions on screen is a dream job and I know we'll both be debating some epic road trip ideas. We can't wait to share what we've been up to on screen later this year."

Before landing a job as a co-host LeBlanc, 48, had visited Top Gear twice in the past, taking part of the show's popular segment "star in a reasonably priced car." In fact, as The Guardian reports, he's the celebrity who's performed the fastest lap ever on the show!

Back in early 2012, LeBlanc made a full tour of the track on a Kia C'eed in 1 minute and 42.1 seconds, and he went back a year later to test drive the new model and compare it to the first one.

With this new move, BBC hopes to facilitate bigger viewership in the U.S., where the show will air on BBC America, by bringing in a beloved television star for the new American audiences.