Richard Hammond insists the next 'Grand Tour' hosts must have "passion in their heart".
Richard Hammond wants people with passion to take over the Grand Tour
The former ‘Top Gear’ presenter thinks that anyone taking over the Amazon Prime Video series he hosted with Jeremy Clarkson, 64, and James May, 61 - who first worked together on the iconic BBC motoring show - needs to have the same enthusiasm for cars to make it “compelling” viewing.
The 54-year-old television personality told the Metro newspaper’s ‘60 Seconds' column : “If you’re making any show that at it’s heart has a subject, whether it’s cooking, dancing or cars, the hosts - the primary makers of it - have to have that passion in their heart. And we always did.
“You never had to be a car geek to watch our show. Plenty of people who weren’t did watch it but it was important that we were the car geeks. We eat, breathe and sleep cars.
"I’ve watched that show where they make pots, ‘The Great Pottery Throwdown’ and I love it. I’ve no interest in pottery - I don’t know anything about it - but they clearly do and the passion is compelling. Make sure that stays there.”
Richard admitted he “never thought” he would hit the big time and it still hasn't sunk yet that this period of his career is “over” decades after first starting on 'Top Gear'.
He said: “I never thought I’d be part of something that big. I’m just a little bloke from Birmingham who likes cars and doing radio and TV but that doesn’t mean you end up on one of the biggest shows in the world with an audience who follow you for 22 years. I think six months from now I’ll suddenly sit bolt upright and realise its over. "
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