Andy Wilman has been reflecting on the turmoil in the weeks after Jeremy Clarkson punched a Top Gear producer and was fired by the BBC.
The BBC was plunged into crisis in 2015 when the Top Gear “fracas” paved the way for Clarkson and co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May to join Amazon Prime Video to launch The Grand Tour. Wilman, then Top Gear’s executive producer, also moved over.
Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, the executive producer revealed he had to “fight” the BBC to keep the trio of presenters together. The British broadcaster battled to lock down Hammond and May, with former creative director Alan Yentob playing a pivotal role in the talks.
“We were fighting the BBC, and they wanted to keep Richard and James so that we would be broken up. They made a big move for them. Fair dos [they were like], ‘We don’t want you four buggering off and making another show,’” Wilman said. “There was a lot of emotion. Both sides were pretty arsey, so I’m not saying we were great. But we stayed together.”
The Top Gear alumni had conversations with ITV and Sky, but it was clear that funding would be an issue. “Amazon got in touch, and we started talking with Amazon, and we liked the conversation, especially the one about the money,” Wilman joked.
The team produced three full seasons of The Grand Tour, taking a tent around the world. They then moved to special episodes, with their journey set to culminate with The Grand Tour: One For The Road on September 13. Wilman said Clarkson, Hammond, and May’s final episode will be a scaled back, “weepy” affair as the trio reflect on 22 years of working together.
“Not much happens, I would say. Anyone who thinks they’re going to get Avengers: Endgame is going to be disappointed because it is deliberately gentle. But their camaraderie is next level,” he said. “They say goodbye better than any presenters could ever say goodbye, because they’re so close. They can take the piss out of one another and then be emotional as well. It’s quite weepy.”
