Jeremy Clarkson, the former host of Top Gear, has shared his thoughts on a potential revival of the motoring programme, stating that he would not watch it. Clarkson, 66, fronted the show alongside Richard Hammond and James May from 2003 to 2015 before the trio moved on to create The Grand Tour.
After their departure, Top Gear continued until the BBC announced in 2023 that it would not return for the 'foreseeable future', citing the decision to 'rest the show' following Freddie Flintoff's injuries. The BBC stated: 'We know resting the show will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right thing to do.'
Speaking to The Times, Clarkson suggested that a revived Top Gear should focus on consumer journalism to help viewers navigate the changing automotive landscape. He said: 'There is an opening for someone to review electrical cars because no one really understands them. I'm not going to watch it, but there are lots of people who do want to know about all these Chinese cars because it's all completely changing.'
Clarkson added: 'They should do it as a consumer programme, which would be quite a ballsy thing to do because no one wants to go back to the Seventies. Like What Car? magazine on television.'
A BBC Studios representative commented: 'The Top Gear brand continues to thrive across digital, publishing and global formats. As a commercial producer, we're always exploring new ways to develop the brand and reach audiences by leveraging such iconic IP.'
Richard Hammond, another former host, also addressed the show's hiatus, telling the Oxford Mail last year that it was not unprecedented. He said: 'It's been off-air before. It's been on and off air for the last 40 odd years. It is a BBC-owned show, it was a magazine show about cars, and it's gone through various incarnations.'
