Francis Bourgeois has opened up about the brutal online criticism he endured from followers who accused him of faking his entire internet personality — and why he chose to create a stage name in the first place. The Grand Tour is making its comeback to Prime Video with three fresh presenters at the wheel, following the high-profile departure of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.
Railway enthusiast Bourgeois joins YouTubers and motoring specialists James Engelsman and Thomas Holland as the show's new faces. The new series sees the trio travel to California to pit the finest American muscle cars against fighter jets, head to Malaysia to explore the country's thriving car culture, and brave Angola's unforgiving desert roads in vehicles laughably unfit for the terrain.
From railway platforms to global fame
But long before cameras followed him around the globe, Bourgeois was quietly building a TikTok following from the UK's railway platforms. Born Luke Magnus Nicolson, the 26-year-old launched his channel in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, racking up more than three million followers as lockdown gave him the time and freedom to revive a lifelong love of trainspotting.
Yet success brought scrutiny and as his videos went viral and collaborations with celebrities became the norm, followers began digging into his life off-camera. When they discovered content of him working out at the gym and sporting a fashion sense entirely at odds with his usual attire they had come to know online, accusations quickly spread that the whole thing was a constructed act.
Addressing the backlash
Previously speaking to the BBC, Bourgeois addressed the backlash, saying it felt like he was being "pushed back into" his shell. "Some people believe it's just a façade or a character," he added. "But what I feel when I see the trains is raw emotion, and that's what I let through on the camera, uninhibited."
The criticism hurt, but it was not entirely surprising to someone who had gone to considerable lengths to keep his two worlds apart. He recently revealed to Radio Times, as reported by the Mirror, that adopting a pseudonym was a deliberate act of self-preservation from the very start of his social media journey.
A deliberate act of self-preservation
Having been warned that potential employers might dig through his online presence, he abandoned his birth name entirely, partly drawing inspiration from renowned artist Louise Bourgeois for his new identity. The alias, he explained, gave him the freedom to be "as creatively explosive as I liked" while also providing a "level of protection" against the "overwhelming" feeling of being recognised in public.
Far from a passing phase, his trainspotting content grew into a fully fledged career. He penned a book, The Trainspotter's Notebook, and went on to present the digital series Trainspotting with Francis Bourgeois for Channel 4. Now, with The Grand Tour adding cars to his repertoire, Bourgeois faces a fresh wave of public expectation — and he is under no illusions about the challenge ahead.
Handing over the baton
Original executive producer, Andy Wilman, said in a statement he was excited to introduce the new trio to the world, sharing: "We are properly happy to hand over the baton to Thomas, James and Francis, because quite simply – they are doing it right. Not only do they have passion and knowledge, but more importantly they are in no way cardboard cut-outs of the old three. They have a delightful chemistry that’s all of their own making."
The Grand Tour premieres on Prime Video on September 4.
