{“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”VideoObject”,”name”:”New The Grand Tour hosts say reboot is ‘ours to mess up’ after Jeremy Clarkson advice”,”contentUrl”:”https://videos.metro.co.uk/video/met/2026/09/03/4499970611067861611/480x270_MP4_4499970611067861611.mp4″,”description”:”Metro’s Milo Pope speaks exclusively with the new hosts of The Grand Tour, Francis Bourgeois, James Engelsman, and Thomas Holland.”,”duration”:”T2M11S”,”height”:270,”thumbnailUrl”:”https://i.dailymail.com/1s/2026/09/03/12/111023149-0-image-m-13_1788433842084.jpg”,”uploadDate”:”2026-09-03T12:08:09+0100″,”width”:480}
Up Next
Previous Page
Next Page
window.addEventListener(‘metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded’, function(data) {
if (typeof(data.detail) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === ‘undefined’) {
return;
}
var player = data.detail.carousel.el_;
var container = player.closest(‘.metro-video-player’);
var placeholder = container.querySelector(‘.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder’);
if (placeholder) {
container.removeChild(placeholder);
container.classList.add(‘metro-video-player–related-videos-loaded’);
}
});
The new hosts of The Grand Tour have admitted that it’s ‘a famously difficult show’ to inherit after curt advice from Jeremy Clarkson.
Francis Bourgeois, James Engelsman and Thomas Holland are taking over the reins of the motoring adventure show, which has released six new episodes on Amazon Prime Video today.
Despite receiving the blessing of the original show’s presenters, Jeremy, Richard Hammond and James May, the new trio are under no illusion about the size of the task ahead.
‘It’s a famously difficult show to take over. That’s probably the most diplomatic way to say it,’ James tells Metro during an exclusive interview.
‘I think our version probably represents the best chance. It’s certainly the first one that has the blessing of the old guard on camera.
‘The responsibility is huge. It’s like, “This is ours to mess up,” and hopefully we’ve done right by them.’
Francis – who boasts nearly six million followers across his social media accounts where he shares his love of trains – says: ‘Obviously, there’s a massive sense of responsibility, but we want to honour the DNA of the show. I think we’ve given it our stamp and our own identities.’
Towards the beginning of the new series, Jeremy offers the three presenters some rather blunt advice – not to ‘f*** it up’ – before handing over the torch.
So what words of wisdom have the fresh-faced presenters taken away from former hosts? ‘Be yourselves, I think, is probably the most important one,’ Thomas shares.
What does Metro think of The Grand Tour reboot?
Read Milo Pope’s review here: https://metro.co.uk/2026/09/04/high-hopes-amazons-grand-tour-reboot-running-empty-29519391/
They also took advice from Richard Porter, the show’s former script editor, who told them to ‘stay away from contrivance’.
‘I think that’s a scary, easy trap to fall into,’ James explains.
Instead, Francis says: ‘We just let our car enthusiasm sing. We’ve likely been selected because we are die-hard petrolheads and car enthusiasts, so we’ve just let that unfold. And I think, hopefully, it shows.’
The new series of The Grand Tour sees Thomas, James and Francis traverse through America, Malaysia and Angola in a series of increasingly dangerous missions.
The first episode sees the trio head to southern California to pit a Ford Mustang GTD, Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and 2,000-horsepower Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution Evolution against each other – before they race fighter jets in a relay race.
{“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”VideoObject”,”name”:”The Grand Tour official trailer”,”contentUrl”:”https://videos.metro.co.uk/video/met/2026/08/19/8077953188907994148/480x270_MP4_8077953188907994148.mp4″,”description”:”The Grand Tour returns with new hosts Francis Bourgeois, James Engelsman and Thomas Holland.”,”duration”:”T1M11S”,”height”:270,”thumbnailUrl”:”https://i.dailymail.com/1s/2026/08/19/11/110725647-0-image-a-10_1787135023203.jpg”,”uploadDate”:”2026-08-19T11:23:12+0100″,”width”:480}
Up Next
Previous Page
Next Page
window.addEventListener(‘metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded’, function(data) {
if (typeof(data.detail) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === ‘undefined’) {
return;
}
var player = data.detail.carousel.el_;
var container = player.closest(‘.metro-video-player’);
var placeholder = container.querySelector(‘.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder’);
if (placeholder) {
container.removeChild(placeholder);
container.classList.add(‘metro-video-player–related-videos-loaded’);
}
});
Following that, they travel to Malaysia in £5,000 sports cars, attempt to sneak tiny Japanese Kei cars across Colorado, test the world’s toughest cars and race a Pagani Utopia against public transport to the Belgian Grand Prix.
When the news of their casting was announced, there was an adverse reaction among some members of the fiercely loyal fanbase.
The hosts acknowledge that some viewers might be reluctant to embrace a new generation, as ‘Clarkson, Hammond and May have meant so much to so many people, including us,’ Thomas says.
‘We’re fans of the show. We grew up watching the show. They have the right to feel that. I guess the only thing we can say to them is, give it a chance. It’s more car content. You might like it.’
Francis adds: ‘The automotive industry at the moment is changing so quickly. It’s such an exciting time to be able to document it. So, I think there is certainly a need for a car show just to exist, full stop.’
For Francis, who built his following online through his love of trains and cars, the move to one of television’s biggest motoring productions has been a dramatic change, going from filming videos with his girlfriend on an iPhone to working with a huge 75-person production crew.
But facing a larger crew was the least of his concerns, as he reached speeds of up to 200mph while racing a fighter jet.
In those terrifying moments, when he’s travelling at such an incredibly high speed, Francis recalls the bizarre sensation that came over his body.
‘There’s a weird moment where you’re just so in tune with the car… you’re so ready to put the brake on at the right time. But your brain is just consumed by processing all of this information,’ he explains.
Comment nowAre you going to watch the new series of The Grand Tour? Have your say belowComment Now
‘So there’s no space really for overthinking or a sense of fear. There is adrenaline, and I think that’s helped to keep us at bay at times.’
Thomas admits he ‘almost drove off a mountain’ in Angola, whereas James felt the need to morbidly ring his wife before every challenge.
‘My wife was like, “You’re doing another goodbye phone call, aren’t you?”‘ he says.
The biggest goal for these three presenters, however, is not to feel as though they’re ‘acting’.
Thomas sums it up best by saying: ‘We’re not putting on a character. We’re not acting or anything. We just are who we are. If you’ve seen us before, we’re the same people.’
The new series of The Grand Tour launches globally on Prime Video on Friday, September 4.
Comment now
Comments
Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google
Add as preferred source