As the final episode of Amazon Prime Video‘s The Grand Tour hits streaming queues later this year, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May have officially dissolved their jointly-owned production company: W. Chump & Sons — ending a partnership that began with BBC’s Top Gear in 2002.
“It’s immensely physical when you’re unfit and fat and old, which I am,” Clarkson noted of the trio’s televised contributions during an interview with The Times.
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The 64-year-old veteran auto journalist and beloved presenter later explained how he, alongside Hammond (54) and May (61), had just about seen/done it all behind the steering wheel.
“I’ve driven cars higher than anyone else and further north than anyone else. We’ve done everything you can do with a car. When we had meetings about what to do next, people just threw their arms in the air.”
Jeremy Clarkson continued: “James May thinks there’s never been a more interesting time for how we move around and he’s probably right, but I don’t think it’s very interesting television.”
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“An electric car is no different from a chest freezer or a microwave oven. There’s no glamour or excitement. This week on Top Chest Freezer! I think it suits the written media more.”
Naturally, much like countless of you out there who’ve been along for the ride these past 20-plus years, the closing of this chapter has left us feeling rather nostalgic. Which is why we’ve taken it upon ourselves to compile some of our favourite moments from both Top Gear and The Grand Tour featuring the irreplaceable trio (Stig drives, celebrity interviews, and Jezza clocking Piers Morgan in the jaw aside).
Check them out below.
Like A Rolling Reliant
From the impeccable timing to the framing, you (almost) couldn’t script the comedy that was achieved during Jeremy Clarkson’s Reliant Robin review. This was elite s**thousery that perfectly encapsulated classic Top Gear’s unique voice. Entertaining, informative, with a shocking amount of replay value.
Clarkson’s “Frightening” Genius
They say pride comes before the fall. Or in the case of Jeremy Clarkson, the flex comes before the broken rear window. A reminder that this is the man who Formula 1 engineering GOAT Adrian Newey (allegedly) copied his physics homework from.
Heavy Lies The Mud
As you’ll find with most of James May’s finest moments, the comedy is generally brief yet effective.
Clarkson’s Tearjerking Porsche 928 Story
We’ve covered this rare instance of vulnerable sincerity from Jeremy Clarkson on a previous occasion, which was revealed during Top Gear season 22’s Patagonia Special. And to this day, it still holds the ability to reduce grown men to tears.
But if all this hits a little too close to home — fear not. Elsewhere, Clarkson vaguely alluded to the same sentiment behind his Porsche 928 story, albeit in a far more hilarious fashion so you can sweep those feelings under a rug:
“If you have a powerful engine, you can get home at night more quickly, which means you spend more time with your children, which means they’re less likely to grow up… as glue sniffers.”
The Only Acceptable Use Of “Boys Will Be Boys”
Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day. Give middle-aged goofballs carte blanche to act on their most childish impulses and they’ll launch cars into a quarry for a game of “car darts,” thereby feeding the content-hungry masses for years to come.
“Where The F**k Have You Been?”
Friendships and survival instincts were tested when they abandoned Richard Hammond atop a Canadian mountain where he was to test a GPS watch. And as the Hamster’s anger (understandably) boiled to near critical levels, the other two were plodding around for quite literally several days.
The real kicker?
The last lodge Clarkson and May stayed at was approximately 10 miles down the mountain from Hammond, meaning he could’ve reasonably trekked it down well in advance. Priceless.
It Ain’t Much, But It’s Home
Innovation… disaster… that famed stiff upper lip the British have become renowned for, even in the face of calamity… the Campervan Challenger had it all. And only narrowly beat out the Amphibious Car Challenge.
Liabilities Galore
As we’ve alluded to earlier, the trio routinely put themselves directly in the line of fire time and time again for our entertainment — most prominently James May — but I think the silliest instance involved Jeremy Clarkson’s review of the P45. Otherwise known as the world’s smallest car.
Bargain Hunting
Whoever said sarcasm is the lowest form of wit clearly never watched The Grand Tour: Seaman. As if we needed any more reason to holiday in Vietnam.
You Always Have To Start With “Hello”
James May’s awkward rizz is unrivalled.
As for the currently untitled eighth episode of The Grand Tour, which was filmed in Zimbabwe and mark the series’ finale, it’s due to hit Amazon Prime Video sometime in 2024.
Keep your eyes peels for the iconic trio’s swan song.
Want to see what else is en route on the streaming giant? Check out everything coming to Amazon Prime Video.
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