Latest news with #RichardHammond
ITV News
15 hours ago
- Sport
- ITV News
'It's astonishing': Richard Hammond witnesses Isle of Man TT for the very first time
Richard Hammond speaks to Isle of Man Correspondent Joshua Stokes Broadcaster Richard Hammond has described the the Isle of Man TT as 'astonishing' as he witnessed the action for the very first time. The TV presenter watched from the roadside during Saturday afternoon's qualifying session. He said: "It's been epic thus far. I have to say 39 years I've been riding motorcycles - they're a huge part of my life. This, I'm slightly ashamed to say, is my first ever TT and it's everything I thought it would be. "Some things match up to expectations, some things don't - this does. Not only the racing which I watched some of this afternoon before the weather changed its mind, but it's extraordinary. "I mean, I love riding motorcycles on the road, but it's a two worlds I'm familiar with the kind of almost suburban world and motorsports and mushed them together to create a spectacle unlike anything that I've ever seen. "Watching somebody cross a junction, up to a traffic-lighted junction, the suspension, compressing out as they're going an impossible speed - it's kind of other-worldly - I loved it". Hammond also took the opportunity to engage in other activities outside of the racing. On Sunday 1 June, he led the 'TT Legacy Lap', which saw hundreds of bikers ride around the 37 and three-quarter- mile Mountain Course on their own motorbikes. The annual lap has grown into a shared celebration of people, stories, and machines that have shaped the heritage of the TT. Hammond rode his own bike, in damp conditions, for the speed-controlled lap. The Isle of Man TT sees bikers ride at speeds over 200mph on public roads, in what Hammond described as a 'spectacle unlike anything I've ever seen'. He said: "I really can barely comprehend doing those speeds in this environment. And I've done 200mph on a motorcycle, I've done 320mph in a car, but neither instance was through suburbia! There's lamp posts out there, and manhole covers. "And it's just honestly, it's one of the last great almost gladiatorial where there's no combat, but it's people fighting fear. It's astonishing, it really is. I'm so glad it still exists and long may it." The Isle of Man TT continues until Saturday 7 June, where the event concludes with the final 6-lap Senior TT race. Want more on the issues effecting the North? Our podcast, From the North answers the questions that matter to our region.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
The Grand Tour fans threaten to boycott Amazon Prime hit as they fume over new line up after Clarkson and co quit
FANS of The Grand Tour have threatened to boycott the Amazon Prime hit series. Longtime viewers were left fuming over the new line-up after Jeremy Clarkson decided to quit the programme. 8 8 8 After departing the BBC and leaving Top Gear behind in 2015, The Clarkson's Farm star teamed up again with his longtime colleagues. Alongside James May and Richard Hammond, he brought the on-screen band back together to make a different motoring show in 2016. The trio went on to front five full series of The Grand Tour, before airing one last special as a grand send off in September 2024. It marked the end of a 22-year-long collaboration between Jeremy, 65, James, 62, and Richard, 55. Now, it's been revealed that the series will continue on Amazon Prime but with new presenters leading the format. Thomas Holland and James Engelsman are a viral duo from the Throttle House car YouTube channel and they will be the new faces of the show. They were revealed to be the replacement from the original duo after they seemingly impressed bosses with their platform that boasts over three million subscribers. The duo will be joined by viral trainspotting personality, Francis Bourgeois, who received international fame for his enthusiasm for railways. A source previously told us: "Thomas and James are as knowledgeable about motors as Jeremy, Richard and James — the only difference is they're younger, cooler and a lot more social media savvy. "Francis became famous for his love of trainspotting and will be bringing his humour to the show." However, droves of fans have been left disappointed by the news as they flooded X, formerly known as Twitter with comments. One viewer posted: "I will watch a grand total of 0 episodes." A second stated: "Oh F**! What is the actual point? This will be a bigger disaster than Top Gear was." "The Grand Tour was created for Jeremy, Richard and James so this is feeling wrong. Why not give it a fresh new name and not linked to what was before," enquired a third user. The Grand Tour episode guide How many seasons of The Grand Tour are there and where do they take place? The Grand Tour launched on Prime Video in 2016 and quickly became one of the streamer's biggest hits as hosts Jeremy, 63, James, 60, and Richard, 52, felt it was time they move on from Top Gear hit the road. They have now brought five epic series of motoring adventures to the small screen, each taking place in different locations and even featuring celebrity guests. Series 1 Series 1 aired from 2016 to 2017 and took the presenters to a number of foreign locales, including Jordan, Morocco and Italy. The series is comprised of 13 episodes, with episodes 7 and 8 making up a two-part special set in Namibia, where the trio embarked on an epic beach buggy challenge. Series 2 Jeremy, Richard and James returned for more motoring actor in series 2, and drove their way across Europe as they tested out some of their dream vehicles like the Bugatti Chiron and the McLaren 720S. This series, which aired from 2017 to 2018, is made up of 11 episodes. It features regular 'studio segments' filmed in the team's permanent tent in the Cotswolds, and had regular participation from celebrities with two guests going head-to-head on timed laps every episode. Series 3 In 2019, the presenting trio crossed continents - from North America, to South America, to Europe and Asia - putting both new vehicles and classic sports cars through their paces. This series was the last to feature the regular studio segments, car reviews and timed laps. To mark the end of this era the final episode's last segment includes a montage of scenes featuring the presenters over the course of their career as a trio, not only from this programme, but also from their time hosting Top Gear. Series 4 This series marked a complete change in format for The Grand Tour as it consists entirely for feature-length specials which aired between 2019 and 2021. The first two chronicle Jeremy, Richard and James' epic adventures across Asia and Africa, while the third and fourth episodes saw them put foreign cars to the test on their home turf. And fitting American vehicles through Scottish roads is no easy feat. Series 5 Following the same format as series 4, the fifth and final series of The Grand Tour also consists of four feature-length specials. The first of these hits screens in 2022 and follows the trio as they travelled through Norway, Sweden and Finland in three Rally-Inspired Sports Saloons. The second episode was another Euro adventure while the third took the presenters back to Africa. The fourth instalment of the series and final ever episode of The Grand Tour, titled One for the Road, premieres on September 13, 2024. It promises to be an emotional one as the trio set out on one epic final adventure in Zimbabwe and reflect on their 22-year-long working relationship and friendship. While someone else exclaimed: "I mean what's the point the show was created for Jeremy, James and Richard." As a fifth noted: "The Grand Tour was created for Jeremy, Richard and James specifically. By all means have a new motoring show on your platform with these guys, nothing against them at all. But it would be better to just have it under a different name." A sixth fan said: "What a mess. Amazon might as well take all the money they'd be spending on this, put in a dumpster and set fire to it." They added: "An absolute waste of time and money." 8 8 8 8
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Will you watch The Grand Tour without Clarkson, Hammond and May?
The Grand Tour is coming back without Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May behind the wheel. It sure has been one hell of a ride. It's been reported social media stars Thomas Holland, James Engelsman and Francis Bourgeois will take over where the trio left off, according to The Sun. English trainspotter Bourgeois has interviewed celebrities including Louis Theroux and Tom Daley. His humorous trainspotting videos went viral on TikTok and Instagram in 2021. Meanwhile, Holland and Engelsman's YouTube Throttle House — where they share car reviews — has 3.26m subscribers online. But will you watch The Grand Tour without Clarkson, Hammond and May? Cast your vote in the poll below. Last year, Hammond confirmed the show will continue without the trio at the helm. He told The Metro: "It will be carrying on. The Grand Tour continues. We're stepping away as the hosts, but Prime will be continuing it. So I can't wait to sit on my own chair and watch somebody else do it. That's amazing." Clarkson, Hammond and May took their feet off the gas when it came to their on-screen work together. They said goodbye to the Prime Video series with one final special The Grand Tour: One for the Road that aired last year. The Grand Tour ended on their own terms and exactly how they wanted, with their final destination being in Zimbabwe. Rewind 20 years, their friendship took off when they begun presenting BBC Two car show Top Gear together in 2002. When the BBC fired Clarkson for punching a producer on the show in 2015, Hammond and May quit saying the three of them come as a package deal. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Thomas Holland (@thomasholland_th) Getting back on track again, the friends signed to do racing series The Grand Tour in 2016. Fast forward to now, eight years later from when they first started, the trio have come to the end of the road with The Grand Tour. It's clear that Clarkson, Hammond and May had given their final TV road trip together a lot of thought. In 2023, May had said they were all getting a "bit old" for the car show – sentiments echoed by his pals. He told The Times: "The truth is, we're a bit too old for all this now. Jeremy is 63, Hammond is 53. We'll have to stop one day and by my reckoning that terrible day is almost upon us." The three pals made sure everyone knew why now was the right time for the show to end. "We've run out of things to do and we've run out of places to go, and I was fat," Clarkson said in 2024 at a London Q&A that shared a private press viewing of The Grand Tour. Clarkson also said the world is too dangerous for The Grand Tour now. "We've done everything you can realistically do with a car and the world has shrunk and that's the tragedy," he said. They flew to Mauritania to film The Sand Job earlier this year but they had received a warning from the Foreign Office advising them not to make the trip. "Years ago, we drove from Iraq into eastern Turkey into Syria, Damascus and Israel. We did the Crimea to Ukraine. You couldn't do any of that now. There's some rich ground in and around Indonesia, but you can't really go there either. North Africa, apart from Morocco, is completely out." He added: 'The world is a much more troubled place than it was 20 years ago. We were very lucky to do what we did, when we did.' They have reached a fork in the road, with the three of them taking different directions on their individual career paths. Clarkson remains focused on his hit Prime Video series Clarkson's Farm and has opened The Farmer's Dog pub nearby in the Cotswolds.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Clarkson's Farm shock after Jeremy spends £6k on breeding bull that's GAY – and reveals all about ‘trans piglet'
JEREMY Clarkson says he may have raised a trans pig on Diddly Squat Farm — and spent £5,500 on a breeding bull which could be gay. The LGBTQ livestock shock comes as the Grand Tour presenter and Sun columnist sees his bovine investment ignoring the cows and his top hog getting down and dirty with a boar. 4 The scenes feature in the latest episodes of Clarkson's Farm 4, which arrive on Prime Video tomorrow. Jeremy has to have the concept of gay farm animals explained to him by his farm manager sidekick Kaleb Cooper, who confirms they do exist. It comes after his prize bull, Endgame, is expected to make a beeline for the females when introduced to them on the Oxfordshire farm, which he runs with partner Lisa Hogan. But Jeremy points out: 'He's gone the wrong way. Seven ladies and he's not even bothered. "Now they're chasing him. Why are they chasing him? 'Why did the cow just mount the bull? Do you get gay cows?' Jeremy also visits his favourite pig Richard Ham — named after his ex- Top Gear co-star, Richard Hammond. He is surprised to see the small swine mounted by another male after the boy pig 'seduced' him with some enticing tail wagging. Kaleb says: 'That little boy there moved its tail to one side thinking it was a girl, so I wonder if it could actually be trans?' Jeremy replies: 'What, we've got trans pigs?' This is like being in a Labour Party Executive committee meeting now.' 4
ArabGT
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- ArabGT
James May and Richard Hammond Take a Farewell Spin at the Top Gear Track
Years after bidding farewell to Top Gear, Richard Hammond and James May returned to the show's most iconic filming location—Dunsfold Aerodrome—for one emotional last drive. For automotive fans, Top Gear holds a special place in television history. With its blend of humor, epic adventures, and car reviews, the chemistry between Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond turned it into a global phenomenon. Although the BBC series ended rather suddenly, the trio quickly launched The Grand Tour on Amazon, keeping the spirit alive in a new format. Yet, nothing quite matches the charm of the original Top Gear test track. Located at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, England, the 1.9-mile circuit became synonymous with the show. While the studio segments were filmed indoors, the real excitement took place out on this converted airstrip. From power laps to crazy stunts, it served as the heartbeat of the show's action. Since 2002, Dunsfold had been home to countless legendary moments. However, redevelopment plans announced in 2018 cast doubt over its future. While parts of the site are now under construction for housing, reports suggest the track will remain in use at least until 2026, giving fans a few more years to celebrate its legacy. In a touching tribute, Hammond and May reunited at Dunsfold to drive one final lap together—this time behind the wheel of the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. This high-performance electric sedan, known for its blistering speed and futuristic engineering, was a symbolic choice. It not only showcased the evolution of automotive technology but also honored the deep connection between the presenters and the place where it all began. The lap was part of a nostalgic feature on Drivetribe, where the duo reflected on their favorite memories and shared heartfelt stories from their Top Gear days. Though both Top Gear and The Grand Tour have shifted into new formats—focusing on annual feature-length specials—their legacy remains powerful. Watching the video evokes a bittersweet feeling. While we miss the chaos and laughter of the original series, there's comfort in seeing the presenters revisit the track one last time. In many ways, this final drive feels like the ending the show deserved—a quiet, poignant farewell on the stretch of tarmac where legends were made. Watch the video:
