Prime Video’s popular motoring show, The Grand Tour, is embarking on a new era, yet its famed original presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May are not disappearing entirely.
Producer Andy Wilman has revealed that the trio will make guest appearances in the rebooted series, providing a symbolic handover to a fresh team of hosts. Their involvement is intended as a gesture to “hand the baton on” to the new presenting line-up, according to Wilman, as reported by the Mirror.
Jeremy Clarkson has spoken positively about the incoming hosts on the My Week in Cars podcast, saying, “I’ve seen the guys being chosen in the early days, and I’ve seen some of the stuff they’ve been doing. And it’s very, very good.”
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He added, “It’s different because they’re three completely different people to us. But they’re b***** funny. You shall see. You shall see. But no, I’m pretty confident it will work. I mean, touch wood, from everybody’s point of view. We all want it to work and I’d love the idea that the Grand Tour carries on.”
The original presenting trio concluded their remarkable 22-year run in 2024, closing a significant chapter in motoring entertainment. Now, Prime Video is passing the keys to a new crew, featuring train enthusiast and car lover Francis Bourgeois, alongside YouTubers James Engelsman and Thomas Holland, who are known for their successful Throttle House channel.
Fans have voiced their enthusiasm for the new team. One Reddit user commented, “Throttle House is great and Francis' train show with Chris Harris is making me fall in love with trains. Usually I’d be a bit cynical, but the new line up is actually fantastic.”
Another fan praised the pairing of Engelsman and Holland, saying, “James Engelsman and Thomas Holland created (I think) and host a car themed YouTube channel called Throttle House which is pretty successful online. When I first heard about them as the people taking over Grand Tour I looked up their stuff and I found this ‘1000 miles across the desert’ video. They have good chemistry with one another, they know their cars, and they’re pretty natural on camera.”
The fan continued, “That video feels very much like Grand Tour done on a very modest budget and I think it’s a really good one to watch for Grand Tour fans who are interested in these new hosts. It gives a pretty good idea of what their version of the show may be like.”
The new series of The Grand Tour will premiere on Prime Video on 4 September, marking an exciting fresh chapter for the long-running programme.