The Grand Tour Will Continue With New Presenters, Confirms Richard Hammond

Ever since we had confirmation that Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May would be bringing their time on The Grand Tour to an end, there’s been questions over whether it would spell the actual end of the show, or just their tenure as presenters.

Now, Hammond has confirmed that the show is set to continue without the iconic trio. Speaking to Metro, he said: “It will be carrying on. The Grand Tour continues. We’re stepping away as the hosts, but Prime will be continuing it. So I can’t wait to sit on my own chair and watch somebody else do it. That’s amazing.”

This seems to confirm rumours that emerged earlier this year in TV industry publication Broadcast. That suggested that production company Studio Lambert would be taking over the running of the show and bringing in new talent.

Hammond, though, insists he has no idea who the new presenting lineup will be, or what form the show will take: “That’s for people who are making it to decide. We’ll always be on hand to talk if they want to talk to us, absolutely. But it’s not for us to shape it anymore. We’re stepping away.”

As the team that took over Top Gear following Clarkson, Hammond and May’s departure in 2015 is all too aware, the trio’s natural on-screen chemistry makes them an incredibly tough act to follow. Hammond offered some advice to whoever it may be:

“If you’re making any show that at its heart has a subject, whether it’s cooking, dancing or cars, the hosts… have to have that passion in their heart.

“You never had to be a car geek to watch our show. Plenty of people who weren’t did watch it, but it was important that we were the car geeks.”

There’s likely still a while before we hear anything further on what form The Grand Tour will take going forward. In the meantime, the final episode featuring Clarkson, Hammond and May, One For The Road, debuts on 13 September. It’ll bring to an end nearly 22 years of the trio working together.