Original hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May are set to make cameo appearances in the upcoming season of The Grand Tour, co-creator Andy Wilman has confirmed. The appearances will feature the trio alongside the show's new lineup of presenters.
Wilman revealed the plan during an appearance at the Buckingham Literary Festival, as reported by The Independent. "Our guys are in the shows doing cameos, so we’re wishing them well because we do want to pass that baton on," Wilman stated, indicating a supportive transition to the new era of the program.
The Grand Tour originally premiered on Prime Video in late 2016. The show was conceived following the departure of Wilman, Hammond, and May from the BBC's Top Gear. Wilman and Clarkson had previously co-created the revived Top Gear series that debuted in 2002.
In February, The Grand Tour announced its new hosting team, which includes motoring journalists Thomas Holland and James Engelsman of the YouTube channel Throttle House, as well as social media personality Francis Bourgeois. The new six-episode season is slated to arrive on Prime Video in September.
Unlike Top Gear, which experienced a series of host changes after the original trio left, leading to mixed reception, The Grand Tour's decision to include cameo appearances from its former stars positions the show differently. Top Gear saw eight different hosts between 2016 and its hiatus in 2023.