New Grand Tour Presenters Revealed

But will you actually watch it? This was a show created, after all, specifically for the Top Gear refugees, Clarkson, Hammond & May!

It’s official (well, sort of) – The Grand Tour is gearing up for a new era. The legendary trio of Clarkson, Hammond and May have finally driven off into the sunset for good (after that rather fitting Zimbabwe send-off), and now the rumour mill – nay, the internet – is buzzing with the announcement of their replacements. So who are the brave souls stepping into the shoes of one of the most daunting trios in Automotive TV history?

Enter: The New Boys

We’ve got Thomas Holland and James Engelsman from the YouTube channel Throttle House – a Canadian duo known for slick car reviews and banter-filled videos. They’ve clocked up over 3 million subscribers, which is no small feat in the crowded world of digital automotive content.

Joining them is an unexpected wildcard: Francis Bourgeois, the viral TikTok trainspotter turned national treasure. Yes, really. The lad with the infectious enthusiasm for locomotives, fish-eye lens close-ups, and a cult following on social media.

Now, don’t get me wrong – I’ve got nothing against any of them. They’re all clearly passionate, entertaining, and accomplished in their own rights. But here’s the thing…

You Can’t Just Replace Clarkson, Hammond and May

Have we learnt nothing from Top Gear’s post-Clarkson wilderness?

You can throw money at new presenters, you can swap platforms, and you can tweak formats – but you can’t bottle chemistry. What Clarkson, Hammond and May had wasn’t manufactured. It was a unique alchemy born of decades of camaraderie, conflict, and on-screen chaos.

Amazon didn’t just buy into a format when it launched The Grand Tour. It built a show around those three. Their personalities were the product. Their banter was the glue. Without that, what exactly is left?

History Repeating Itself?

Let’s not forget how Chris Evans’ Top Gear reboot went. Ambitious? Yes. Multi-presenter format? Yes. But it lacked the core ingredient: a lead figure the audience could rally behind.

And what followed? More line-ups, more false starts. Even Top Gear America tried its luck with various trios – and while some episodes were good fun, do you remember the presenters’ names? No? Exactly.

Clarkson Isn’t Just a Presenter – He’s a Media Force

Like him or loathe him, Clarkson is a phenomenon. He’s weathered countless controversies, cancellations and comebacks – and Clarkson’s Farm proves his Midas touch still works, even in a field with cows instead of horsepower.

He’s not just a car guy. He’s a storyteller. A master media manipulator. A supreme professional who understands how to make content connect – whether he’s hooning across a desert or mucking out pigs. That’s not something you replace with social media followings or clean production values.

TV vs YouTube – The Changing Gear of Media

Here’s another problem: TV just can’t keep up with the pace of automotive media anymore.

I can shoot a car video, edit it, and have it live the same day – all before most TV shows even finish their planning meeting, never mind start story-boarding. By the time a glossy Grand Tour episode drops, every YouTuber, Instagrammer and TikTokker has already reviewed the any new car featured months earlier.

Unless it’s Clarkson’s take – which, let’s be honest, we’d still wait to hear – audiences just move on. So what will these new Grand Tour presenters actually add to the conversation that isn’t already being done – often better – on their own, and others (like BrownCarGuy) channels?

A Risky Shift for Everyone

For Throttle House especially, this feels like a risky gamble. They’ve built a strong brand with a loyal following and serious momentum on YouTube. Diverting focus to a high-stakes Amazon production could be a blessing – or a career-denting distraction.

And let’s not forget the NDAs and delays that come with TV deals. Will they be able to keep feeding their own ever-hungry YouTube algorithm while juggling studio shoots and post schedules?

So… Will It Work?

Honestly? I doubt it.

Not because these presenters aren’t talented, but because The Grand Tour isn’t a show you can just reboot. It wasn’t about cars. It was about Clarkson, Hammond and May, rising like phoenixes from the smouldering carnage they left behind at Top Gear. That’s what viewers signed up for.

But hey – I’ll probably give it a watch. I want to be proven wrong. I want more quality car content on screens of all sizes. I want the next generation of presenters to smash it. But I’m not holding my breath.

Let me know what you think – drop your thoughts in the comments below.
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