Jeremy Clarkson Returns to Motoring with the Amazon Series The Grand Tour

In an incredibly anticipated opening episode that debuted on November 18th, British motoring presenters Jeremy Clarkson and co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May have returned to the motoring community with their own Amazon series The Grand Tour.

The Grand Tour is a British car show presenting the car world in some of the most exciting situations and beautiful locations. Traveling the world in a mobile studio tent, Clarkson, Hammond, and May drive some of the world’s best and worst automobiles and put them to the test in competitions and experiments designed to amaze. Presented with a comical spin, whimsical hosting style, and almost cinematic visual style, the three kings of car shows have brought back a car show worth watching religiously, whether you’re a self-proclaimed “motorhead” or just someone that likes to watch fast cars.

Clarkson, Hammond, and May earned their fame in the British car show Top Gear, a relaunched version of a 1997 TV series of the same name. Generating wide acclaim, the show was praised for its presenting and visual style, as well as the for its humorous and, at points, controversial presentation by the three hosts. During their tenure, Top Gear was awarded an International Emmy in the Non-Scripted Entertainment category and declared the the most watched factual television program in the world.

However, Top Gear has been embroiled in controversy on the part of the three hosts due to what has been described as their “politically incorrect” sense of humor. Ranging from offhand offensive remarks to a cumulating moment when the Top Gear cast and crew were chased out of Argentina by an angry mob on account of a license plate that was interpreted to reference the Falklands War, Clarkson in particular has drawn heat and attention from the British press. Last year, however, the BBC, the hosting network of Top Gear announced that Clarkson’s contract would not be renewed due to an allegation of his involvement in a physical altercation with a BBC producer. With the departure of Clarkson, fellow hosts Hammond and May, in addition to Executive Producer Andy Wilman, announced they would not be returning. Although Top Gear continued with a new series in 2016, the show’s new hosts Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc did not receive the success that the previous hosts obtained, leading to lead presenter Evans quitting after only one season.

After their resignations, Clarkson, Hammond, May, and producer Wilman began work on a new car show independent of the BBC, and in May of 2016 their new show The Grand Tour was announced. Filming began in July in Johannesburg, South Africa, with other filming locations revealed as Nashville, Southern California, Rotterdam, Lapland, various sites in England, as well as filming in Dubai that is scheduled for December.

The Grand Tour is available only to Amazon Prime subscribers, and 12 of the hour-long episodes are expected to be coming out each week for their first season.