Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman has resigned from the show, the BBC has confirmed. The announcement comes just hours after show presenter James May appeared to confirm that he and co-presenter Richard Hammond would not be continuing on the BBC show without Jeremy Clarkson.

There are now reports that the presenters, along with Wilman, are working on a new show format, which they will pitch to a rival British broadcaster or perhaps an online service such as Netflix.

Wilman is a long-time friend of Clarkson, The Guardian reports, and his departure has been expected since an email was leaked last month in which he appeared to tell colleagues he was resigning, saying: “At least we left ’em wanting more. And that alone, when you think about it, is quite an achievement for a show that started 13 years ago”.

Wilman denied it was a “resignation statement” at the time.

Wilman is credited, along with Clarkson, AS one of the central factors to Top Gear’s success in recent years, since its reinvention in 2002.

Earlier today, James May said Top Gear continuing with himself and Richard Hammond and a “surrogate Jeremy (Clarkson)” was “lame” and a “non-starter” – effectively announcing his resignation from the show.

The BBC chose to not renew Clarkson’s contract for the show following a scandal over the presenter’s abuse and assault of a show producer.

May said the possibility of a return for all three presenters to the motoring show could not be discounted.

“It doesn’t mean I won’t go back, we may all go back in the future. It might just be we have a break from it. I don’t know,” he said.

However, this evening May’s agent has told the Press Association that May continues to hold talks with the BBC about the future of Top Gear.

“Conversations regarding the future of BBC’s Top Gear are ongoing, James continues to be involved in those conversations however no plans have been 100% confirmed,” he said.