'The Grand Tour' Reveals Its New, Much Younger Hosting Trio
While it was clear that "The Grand Tour" would continue after the departure of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, it was a mystery who would fill the shoes of the famed trio. Amazon Prime Video announced on Thursday that Francis Bourgeois, Thomas Holland and James Engelsman will be the new hosts of its automotive streaming series. "The Grand Tour" will be returning with new episodes on the streaming service later this year.
It certainly helps the show's producers that the much younger talent already have some notoriety. Bourgeois is probably the internet's favorite trainspotter. Holland and Engelsman are the duo behind Thottle House, the popular car review channel on YouTube. The new hosts have an ideal blend of car knowledge and on-camera charisma to helm a mainstream car show, but they will have to forge their own identity in the shadow of their predecessors. Bourgeois said in a release:
"The saying 'big shoes to fill' spring to mind. Well, in this case it'll be like Mo Farah running in Size 14 wellies — it'll be a little awkward at first, perhaps blister-inducing but will overall be an interesting watch."
Here what The Grand Tour reboot shouldn't do
"The Grand Tour" continuing without the "Top Gear" defectors that the series was crafted around will be a tall task. All I ask for is balance. The previous trio worked best while mixing commentary on cars and the automotive industry as a whole with bombastic spectacle. However, the formula eventually became overly dependent on road-trip specials. While the adventures offered ample opportunity for hilarious moments, the cars featured in them largely became props for stunts and running gags.
Also, I hope Clarkson, Hammond and May don't return to rain on the new trio's parade. A small cameo would certainly help, but don't linger around to remind viewers of what they used to have. This reboot shouldn't be a continuation, but a reimagining. "The Grand Tour' shouldn't head down the same path of ever-bigger spectacles as "Top Gear." The BBC show has been on an indefinite hiatus since 2023 after Freddie Flintoff was severely injured in a crash.