Jeremy Clarkson has shared an emotional video tribute to his longtime friend and producer Andy Wilman, calling him a "television genius." The Clarkson's Farm star took to Instagram to reflect on the origins of Top Gear, the BBC motoring programme that ran from 2002 to 2015 and became a global phenomenon.
In the video, Clarkson appeared visibly moved as he recalled how Top Gear started as a regional show and grew into "the most successful, most watched show in the world," with 350 million weekly viewers. He praised Wilman, often called the "fourth member" of the presenting trio, for his role from the beginning, including paying audience members out of his own pocket to stay until the end.
Clarkson highlighted Wilman's resilience, noting he was there through the show's end in Zimbabwe, dealt with Ofcom and the BBC, and rebuilt the series from scratch after the "frakka" (referring to the 2015 incident that led to Clarkson's departure). Wilman is now editing Clarkson's Farm.
The tribute came as Clarkson promoted Wilman's new book, Mr Wilman's Motoring Adventure. "It's a fantastic book," Clarkson said. Wilman responded in the comments, deflecting praise and crediting Clarkson for the show's success. The post drew an outpouring of support from fans, with many calling Top Gear the best TV show ever.
