The three new hosts of The Grand Tour received a "phenomenal" endorsement from Jeremy Clarkson during a visit to Diddly Squat Farm. Francis Bourgeois, James Engelsman and Thomas Holland have taken over the Prime Video motoring show, and their meeting with Clarkson proved to be a memorable one.
Bourgeois is known as a railway enthusiast and social media sensation, while Engelsman and Holland have built substantial followings on YouTube. The involvement of the original trio - Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond - has been a major talking point among fans, along with the show's trailer release.
Meeting at Diddly Squat Farm
The new presenters travelled to Clarkson's Oxfordshire farm, the setting for Clarkson's Farm, to seek his blessing before taking on the show. Holland, speaking exclusively to The Daily Star, described the visit as surreal.
Engelsman noted that Clarkson is a working presence on the farm, joking that "Jeremy does 9-5 shifts behind that [meat] counter" - the trio found him at the butcher's counter on arrival.
In the opening scenes of the first episode, the hosts cruise through the English countryside before arriving at Diddly Squat. Approaching Clarkson with trepidation, the exchange turned into a comedy sketch. When Bourgeois cheekily asked whether they could use the tent as their studio, Clarkson delivered a deadpan reply before turning earnest: "Listen guys, seriously, have fun with this. I mean it, good luck, and don't f*** it up."
Clarkson's sincere message
Most fans latched onto that parting shot, but it was what Clarkson said next, once the hosts had left the farm, that made the greatest impression. Turning directly to camera, he said: "I have got to be honest with you, I have actually been watching what they have been up to for the last year and a half, and they are very, very good, I think you are going to love it."
The new presenters were unaware this had happened until the footage was played back to them later. Engelsman recalled the "strange" feeling to The Daily Star: "That slightly longer, more sincere message, I think, for me at least, it resonated a lot harder than just the brief piece of advice."
Hosts' reaction
For Bourgeois, Clarkson's unsolicited praise carried an empowering quality. "To have his blessing is just a phenomenal start for us," he said, admitting it meant a "huge amount".
In a separate interview with Prime Video, Bourgeois shared advice from the other two original hosts. "Richard was incredibly supportive in conversation, while James approached things in a much more philosophical way," he said. "He definitely gave us something valuable - I just think it may have been more spiritual than practical. Personally, meeting all three of them was an extraordinary experience. I've admired them for years, so simply shaking their hands and speaking to them is still something I haven't fully processed. It genuinely feels as though I've won life's golden ticket. One of my favourite moments was James telling me that I'd actually out-nerded him. I still don't quite know how to take that."
The Grand Tour is streaming now on Prime Video.
