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Jeremy Clarkson delivers his honest verdict on new The Grand Tour hosts
Clarkson speaks out.
- Helen Daly
Published: Wednesday, 9 September 2026 at 2:51 pm
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Jeremy Clarkson has opened up on what he thinks of the new hosts of The Grand Tour.
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Earlier this month, Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May were replaced by Francis Bourgeois, James Engelsman and Thomas Holland.
Reviews so far have been positive for the trio, with viewers enjoying getting back into the fun and hijinks from the Prime Video series.
What did Clarkson think of the new series? Radio Times caught up with him at the National Television Awards, fresh off his win for reality docuseries for Clarkson's Farm.
He said: "I think they're fab. They couldn't have picked three better guys to take over from us. You know, we're done. We've been everywhere and done everything we can think to do, so bring on some new younger ones. And they're great.
"Critically, they're not famous people who like cars. They're proper petrol heads. Those guys know... actually, I'm gonna say it. They know more about cars than James, Richard, and I do. They're very knowledgeable, and that's the key."
James Engelsman, Thomas Holland, Jeremy Clarkson and Francis Bourgeois pose with the Reality Docuseries award in the Winners Room at the National Television Awards 2026. Joe Maher/Getty Images for The NTA's
Speaking about his win for Clarkson's Farm, he said: "I thought it would serve up gentle disappointment to a generation of Top Gear viewers - so did Amazon. We all thought it wouldn't work, but look, it has.
"We've nearly wrapped on season 6 and then who knows..."
Clarkson's Farm will return for a sixth season in summer 2027.
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The latest, revamped season of The Grand Tour launched on 4 September on Prime Video to generally positive reviews.
Our own four-star review said of the new hosts: "The casting is an easy win, plus a gamble. James Engelsman and Thomas Holland already present a YouTube channel called Throttle House, which has built up 3 million subscribers by doing Top Gear-y, Grand Tour-esque things in a more agile, online way: like Manchester City smoothly snapping up established talent in a big-money transfer, The Grand Tour has bought their chemistry and rebranded it.
"The third member of the trio is the surprise hire, since he’s better known for trains than cars, and is famous for being unashamedly nerdy, which could have jarred with The Grand Tour’s normal golf-club garrulousness: Clarkson, Hammond and May might have delighted in the finer details of mechanical engineering, but you couldn’t really say they geeked out over them in the way that Francis Bourgeois – the final member of the new GT trio – does in his trainspotting TikToks."
The Grand Tour is streaming now on Prime Video. You can sign up to Amazon Prime Video for a 30-day free trial.
Find out all the winners of the National Television Awards 2026.
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Authors
Helen DalyDeputy Digital Editor
Helen Daly is the deputy digital editor for Radio Times, overseeing new initiatives and commercial projects for the brand. She was previously Deputy TV Editor at a national publication. She has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Media & Journalism from Newcastle University.
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