Amazon Prime Video has confirmed that Francis Bourgeois, James Engelsman, and Thomas Holland will take over as hosts of The Grand Tour for its seventh season, replacing the original trio of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May. The original hosts concluded their run two years ago with a final episode set in Botswana.
Francis Bourgeois, whose real name is Luke Nicolson, is a 25-year-old social media personality known for his trainspotting content. He holds a background in mechanical engineering and previously worked for Rolls-Royce. Commenting on his new role, he said: 'The saying “big shoes to fill” springs to mind. Well, in this case it’ll be like Mo Farah running in Size 14 wellies — it’ll be a little awkward at first, perhaps blister-inducing but will overall be an interesting watch.'
James Engelsman and Thomas Holland are best known for co-hosting the popular YouTube automotive channel Throttle House, which they founded in 2015. James has built a reputation for detailed car reviews and performance testing, while Thomas is a Canadian automotive journalist and former amateur racer. James remarked: 'Who knew that all this time, the one ingredient that was missing was a Francis Bourgeois? Let the car adventures commence.'
The new series will see the trio travel to California to test America’s latest performance cars, following previous adventures crossing the Angolan desert and exploring Malaysia’s car culture. The shift towards hosts with strong digital followings is evident, though reactions online have been mixed. Some viewers expressed optimism, with one user on X saying he has 'very high hopes' if the former hosts approved the choice, while another cautioned: 'Please tell the new boys not to try to be the old lot. It never works.'
