Jeremy Clarkson insists ‘Top Gear” was ‘never a car show’

4 March 2024

Jeremy Clarkson has insisted that ‘Top Gear’ was “never a car show”.

Jeremy Clarkson has insisted 'Top Gear' was 'never a car show'

The 63-year-old TV star presented the motoring programme with Richard Hammond, 54, and James May, 61, from 2002 to 2015, and became a global icon once millions of fans over the world tuned in to watch the show. However, Jeremy has now emphasised that ‘Top Gear’ never focused on cars, and instead centred on giving viewers an “insight into a man’s mind”.

In his column for The Times, he wrote: “When I hosted it, people used to describe it as a car show, and when they tried to recast it, they looked for people who like cars. But it was never a car show.

“As its producer once said when asked why so many women tuned in, ‘Because it gives them an insight into a man’s mind, where let’s face it, nothing ever happens.’

“That sums up 'Top Gear’ perfectly, and, more recently, ‘The Grand Tour’ as well. Because we spent 25 years making ourselves busy by doing nothing of any consequence at all.

“Can we drive a car on train tracks? Can we drive to the North Pole? Can you play football in cars? These were manly things to discuss. Pointless things. Stupid things. Dangerous things.”

The presenter is also celebrating the release of the trio’s latest special, ‘The Grand Tour: Sand Job’, where the threesome are challenged to take on the Sahara Desert and cross Mauritania in west Africa, all while following the route of the Paris-Dakar Rally.

Reflecting on the episode, Jeremy admitted he struggled to deal with the sweltering heat.

During an interview with the Evening Standard, he said: “In the middle of the night, it was still 38. It’s so hot it’s baffling.

“It messes with your head, and it certainly messes with your bladder, which seems to be capable of absorbing a gallon of water an hour and it doesn't come out of you anywhere. And when it does come out finally, it’s the colour and consistency of a Rolo or a stair banister.”

Richard agreed and added: “You’re losing all your fluids through sweat. My eyelids were sweating. So I was peeing sand and steam. I’m probably riddled with kidney stones as a result. You can’t drink enough.

“We’re always told, ‘Stay hydrated’, but you can drink water constantly and still get dehydrated. It’s hard work. It’s exhausting, trying to drink enough.”