With only ten days to go until the Clarkson-free ‘Top Gear’ returns to the BBC, the programme has been forced to announce its two guest stars for its first episode after a false report by The Sun claimed that Brad Pitt had pulled out of filming.

When ‘Top Gear’ returns on May 29th with new hosts Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc in the hot seats, their first ever guests will be A-lister Jesse Eisenberg and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

Brad PittBrad Pitt was never actually approached to be in the first 'Top Gear' episode

The official Twitter account of ‘Top Gear’ announced on Thursday afternoon (May 19th): “Viper vs 'Vette. UK vs USA. Jesse Eisenberg and @GordonRamsay.”

This came a few hours after The Sun had reported that Pitt had pulled out, dashing Evans and the producers’ hopes of getting an American heavyweight name to kick off proceedings.

“Brad has obviously had filming issues so they’ve had to quickly find another Hollywood name and came up with Jesse,” a source told the tabloid paper. “He played Lex Luthor in the latest Batman vs Superman movie, but is not a heart-throb or a name anything like Brad. Chris Evans is not known in the US so they’ve had to bring in two guests instead of one each week to build the brand out there. Gordon is a huge U.S. TV star so that will help – but it’s not the start Chris or the producers wanted really.”

Jesse EisenbergJesse Eisenberg will be one of the new 'Top Gear's first guests

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However, a spokesperson for the motoring show quickly told the London Evening Standard that the story was nonsense, as Pitt was never even lined up in the first place. “There is no truth in this story, we never approached Mr Pitt.”

Meanwhile, new host Evans recently wrote in his Daily Mail column that he’s preparing for the worst while hoping for the best with the re-vamped show, which has been the subject of many negative press stories since filming began at the start of the year.

“As a consequence of the mud-slinging, I have taken to daily, contemplative soaks in the bath-tub of 'worst-case scenario'. I am a realist hoping for the best, while preparing for potential imminent career death.” ‘Top Gear’ returns on BBC Two at 8pm on Sunday May 29th.

More: ‘Top Gear’ gets BBC Three spin-off show ‘Extra Gear’