The motoring world is in mourning following the death of beloved television presenter and journalist Quentin Willson, who passed away at the age of 68.
Willson died peacefully surrounded by his family on Saturday, November 8, after a short battle with lung cancer, according to an official statement released by his loved ones.
Tributes from Top Gear Colleagues
Jeremy Clarkson, his former co-host on the original version of Top Gear, led the heartfelt tributes. Taking to social media platform X, the 65-year-old wrote: "I'm far away so I've only just heard that Quentin Willson has died. We had some laughs over the years. Properly funny man."
Clarkson also shared a poignant photograph of himself with Willson and their fellow presenter Tiff Needell from their Top Gear days, captioned: "And then there were two. Sad day."
Tiff Needell, a former race car driver and colleague on both Top Gear and Fifth Gear, expressed his profound sadness. "Oh Quentin how can you leave us so soon," he wrote. "So many memories of the BBC-TopGear we built in the nineties that I wanted to remember with you again." He fondly recalled their time together, specifically mentioning a film they made with Clarkson in a Ford Puma.
James May also paid his respects, acknowledging that Willson gave him "proper advice and encouragement" when he was trying to break into television during the 1990s. May remembered him as a "great bloke."
A Storied Career in Motoring
Quentin Willson was a foundational figure in British automotive broadcasting. He was one of the original hosts of the hit BBC motoring show Top Gear, fronting the series alongside Clarkson from 1991 until 2001.
Following his departure from the BBC, he helped launch and present Channel 5's motoring programme, Fifth Gear. His own creative ventures included creating and presenting shows such as Britain's Worst Drivers and BBC Two's The Car's The Star.
Beyond television, Willson was a prolific writer. He penned weekly columns for The Mirror and Sunday Mirror for 15 years and contributed to Classic Cars Magazine for nine years. His excellence in journalism was recognised in 2004 when he was named Motoring Writer of the Year at the British Press Awards.
In a lighter moment that year, he made headlines for receiving the lowest score in the history of BBC's Strictly Come Dancing—an eight for his cha cha cha with professional dancer Hazel Newberry.
Remembering a Consumer Champion and Family Man
Willson was renowned as a passionate "consumer champion." He advocated tirelessly for motorists, notably campaigning to freeze fuel duty through his FairFuel initiative. More recently, he worked to make electric vehicles affordable via his FairCharge campaign.
A family statement highlighted his foresight, noting: "Long before it was fashionable, he championed the GM EV1 and the promise of electric cars, proving he was always ahead of the curve." Ginny Buckley of Electrifying.com described him as a "true national treasure" who was "warm, generous with his knowledge and unfailingly kind."
The statement from his family remembered him as a "much-loved husband to Michaela, devoted father to Mercedes, Max and Mini, and cherished grandfather to Saskia, Xander & Roxana." It poignantly added that "the void he has left can never be filled."
Quentin Willson was also a patron of the Hydrogen Trust and served as a Bafta film judge. His family has asked for privacy and will announce funeral arrangements in due course.
