Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond & James May. They are not exactly what you’d expect a trio of leading television presenters to look like. Regardless they’re among the most recognisable names in Britain, perhaps even… In The World. Now though, the end of their laddish era has arrived. This is not a review of the last episode, frankly you know what you’re getting. It’s a look at the trio and their unlikely success.

I’d say my interest in cars stems from my father. In reality it’s from watching these three intelligent idiots. I say that with love, intelligent idiot is very much how I’d describe a lot of my friends. And that’s the secret sauce that’s made The Grand Tour, and Top Gear before it, into the successes they became.  

The initial concept of having a consumer advice style show that informs people of the pros and cons of vehicles they might purchase was a suitable use of BBC’s budget. It’s a public service, and that suits the public’s needs. It should be informative, factual, and maybe add a little personality to give it something extra. Over time that final element completely took over, and the information became less and less useful.

One day, I would love to consider the results of a drag race between an Ferrari F430 and a Lamborghini Gallardo relevant information when buying a car. In reality the standard consumer is looking at hatchbacks and family cars, and a lot of the time, used cars. The consumer advice element of Top Gear lasted barely a lap of the shows track, and it became a show about three mates who love cars. It was even once described by a BBC spokesperson as “An entertainment program, not to be taken seriously”. 

Clarkson has always been the biggest name, and perhaps not for the right reasons. He is a product of his generation, and his controversies are numerous. While Jeremy Clarkson is clearly a bit of an oaf, he is undoubtedly excellent at conveying his passion for road cars, combustion engines, and strangely, farming. That is why people keep watching his shows. Watching people enjoying passions is almost always enjoyable to me, and if you share that passion, it just multiplies. 

Richard Hammond has been the butt of many jokes and jibes, usually aimed at his driving prowess. In reality, he might be the best driver of the three, given he’s the one they trusted with driving the very fastest of the vehicles they’ve had. Hammond is the quintessential early 2000s TV show presenter, and he’s been around the networks hosting a variety of shows. His success with The Grand Tour has meant he can pretty much pick his show now, so I am sure the youngest member of the trio will continue to grace our screens for years yet. 

The third member of the trio, James May, has always felt like an odd one out. And I don’t meant just of the three of them, I can imagine he’s always the odd one out. He’s probably the smartest, probably the least personable, and he has a series of interest that could make paint drying exciting. And yet, he’s the one who has become a YouTube star. May’s inability to contain his nerdy excitement about something is infectious. For example, I have no interest in trains, but when he’s giddily talking about how it’s engine works, I’m happy to watch.

All three of them share passions for cars, and they have chemistry that reminds me of my own stupid banter with my mates. That’s the entire recipe for the “secret sauce” that made these three middle-aged men into household names. The stunning vistas, beautiful cars and celebrity A-list guests were all set dressing to a trio of friends taking the piss out of each other, and that is the thing I, and many others, kept watching for. 

At the end of The Grand Tour there are clips of their previous trips. I felt happy for them that they have reached this happy finale, but the final moments are not really for the fans. The show becomes a vignette the trio, and the entire crew of the show, can enjoy on repeat whenever they need a reminder of what they were given the chance to do. 

There are many who feel the time for such a show has passed. The irreverent, laddish style a relic from a previous generation that probably doesn’t suit the current one. There is something to that, but reality shows that highlight people’s passion will never stop being popular. 

The BBC tried to continue the success of Top Gear, but all it has led to is disaster with the unfortunate crash involving Freddie Flintoff. That’s been in  news lately as co-host Chris Harris has been talking about it all. The idea that the BBC producers thought bigger, better stunts was the missing thing is insane to me. 

This final episode of The Grand Tour has less stunts, less bombast, and more heart. It’s a goodbye to a trio of hosts whose style we will probably never see again. I can’t imagine a show about three middle-aged men going on expensive road trips will get green-lit anywhere.

There is a future for a motor-enthusiast show. In fact there is a gap in the market now. With Clarkson, Hammond and May no longer doing their thing, there’s a chance a new show can find it’s feet a lot easier, sans the comparisons. The key ingredient has to be the passion of the hosts, and their chemistry.

I don’t know if that’s going to happen anytime soon though. So if you’re a fan go and enjoy the episode, enjoy the old clips on YouTube. Enjoy it for what it is. And if you hate the trio, there’s good news. It’s all over now. 

Written by

ChAzJS