The era of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May on The Grand Tour is officially over, but only in front of the camera. After a two-year hiatus, Amazon Prime dropped a real bombshell: the show is back with an entirely new cast, personally selected by Clarkson in his typical biting style. In a leaked video, the veteran reviews the candidates' biographies, demonstratively throwing out the documents of his old comrade James May to make way for the “new blood“.
The hot seats are occupied by personalities who come straight from the digital age. The leading trio will consist of James Engelsman and Thomas Holland – the faces behind the popular YouTube channel Throttle House, who have been proving their automotive cinematography skills for a decade. They are joined by the most unexpected addition: Francis Bourgeois. Known as TikTok's most popular "train spotter", Bourgeois brings a dose of eccentricity that Clarkson himself describes as "a master of cycling".
The new season will consist of six episodes, with Prime promising a "global journey" in which the hosts will seek answers to the most absurd automotive questions. Francis Bourgeois has already shared his concerns about the "huge shoes" he has to fill, comparing the task to running a marathon in wellies. Meanwhile, Thomas Holland was even more direct, joking that "only an idiot would take this job" given the legendary legacy of its predecessors.
Fan reactions have been polar – from euphoric to deeply skeptical. Many remember the failure of Top Gear after the departure of the original trio, when Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc failed to keep the magic going. But hope for The Grand Tour rests on the fact that Clarkson, Hammond and May remain involved in the production behind the scenes under the leadership of Andy Willman. If the old formula of humor and spectacle is successfully transferred to the new hosts, the show could prove that there is life after the “dinosaurs“ of motoring journalism.