'The Grand Tour' Coming to an End

Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond have filmed their last episode of the motoring show The Grand Tour, after 7 years on Amazon Prime. The final episode of the Grand Tour series will debut sometime in 2024.

63-year-old Clarkson, 60-year-old May, and 52-year-old Hammond have returned from filming in Zimbabwe. Speaking last week, James May told the Today Podcast: “My honest view is – I can say this now – it does need a bit of a rethink. It’s time for a new format and a new approach to the subject because the subject has not been this interesting, I suspect, since the car has been invented.”

It is the end of an era. The Grand Tour chapter started in 2016 after the iconic trio quit the Top Gear show, which they kept alive for 22 seasons. The trio had a huge impact on the automotive industry throughout their tenure hosting the renowned Top Gear program at the BBC, frequently affecting the contemporary mood of the automotive culture. The Grand Tour series spanned five seasons, with the final one garnering a significant viewing and following throughout its airing.

Clarkson, Hammond, and May began presenting Top Gear together in its best-known format in 2003, and the show became a huge success for the BBC. In 2015, following an altercation with a producer on the availability of hot meals during filming, Clarkson quit the show and the BBC. He apologized afterward. May and Hammond followed him out, and Amazon quickly signed the three of them up for their streaming program, Amazon Prime.

Interestingly, some rumors suggest that proposals for a new version of the show are being considered, but no additional information is available at this stage. Given the trio’s age and their acrimonious split from the BBC, it’s unlikely that they’ll ever return to Top Gear & BBC, but many fans would salivate at the prospect of reliving their youth.