A new trio of presenters, James Engelsman, Thomas Holland, and Francis Bourgeois, have taken over hosting duties for the motoring television series The Grand Tour. The show, previously hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, is now helmed by a new set of personalities.
Engelsman and Holland are recognized as a presenting duo from the YouTube channel Throttle House, which boasts over three million subscribers. The search for a third presenter led to Francis Bourgeois, a social media personality known for his interest in railways.
According to Engelsman, chemistry testing was conducted with several individuals, but Bourgeois immediately stood out. Holland recalled their initial meeting, stating, "As soon as Francis showed up, we were like: 'That guy'." Bourgeois noted that their first conversation focused on their personal car collections.
By the time filming commenced, Holland mentioned that the dynamic between the three presenters developed organically, describing it as "it just worked and clicked immediately." The process of officially securing the roles was less direct, with Engelsman describing it as a "gradual thing." Initially, he and Holland believed they were part of a broader audition process. They were subsequently invited into writers' rooms to provide input on show ideas.
Bourgeois admitted that the extended period of uncertainty may have been beneficial, as he suggested he "would just fall apart and start crying" if he had known about the job sooner. The new presenters hope to win over any initial skepticism from viewers.