The Grand Tour is being revived, even though neither Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond or James May are involved. Now The Sun is pointing to a replacement.
According to the newspaper The Sun, a possible replacement for Jeremy Clarkson has been named in the car show The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime.
The man being considered for the role is Francis Bourgeois, a figure known from social media. Bourgeois has primarily focused on his interest in trains.
This comes after Jeremy Clarkson, along with James May and Richard Hammond, announced last year that they were leaving The Grand Tour.
In fact, the announcement came shortly after the BBC had decided to put the hosts' former workplace – Top Gear – on hold. And for an indefinite period of time.
Francis Bourgeois, whose real name is Luke Magnus Nicolson, is followed by more than 2.4 million people on Instagram and 3.3 million on TikTok.
His content primarily centers around trains and so-called train spotting. The great interest in trains contrasts with the world Jeremy Clarkson is often associated with.
"Francis is a big name online and the producers at Amazon are hoping to bring him into the mainstream," a source told The Sun.
– He is well-liked by many – from royalty to rappers – and is expected to be well received by Grand Tour viewers.
The interest in Bourgeois is not only based on his online popularity. The source also mentions his professional background.
– Francis is not only known from social media, but is a trained mechanical engineer, so he has professional knowledge.
And professional knowledge is precisely what Jeremy Clarkson himself called for when he was asked to name who could replace him. Read more about it here.
Bourgeois, who comes from Harlesden in London, studied mechanical engineering at the University of Nottingham.
After his studies, he worked very briefly at Rolls-Royce. His engineering background gives him an insight into mechanics that could be relevant in a program like The Grand Tour.
In addition to her social media and technical education, Bourgeois has also had contact with the British royal family.
In 2023, he was invited to meet the Prince and Princess of Wales on a trip on the Elizabeth Line in London.
The consideration of engaging Francis Bourgeois as a possible replacement for Jeremy Clarkson marks a potential new chapter for The Grand Tour format.
