The Poster Memorabilia blog

The Top Guys of Top Gear

One last lap at the O2 — Clarkson, Hammond, and May, signed before the Amazon encore.

By an anonymous Hollywood insider

When Top Gear was the top show on the BBC, it ruled the world. I'm from America, and even we watched it religiously when it was on. Despite how controversial some of the hosts were, the show was always premium entertainment. I don't even think there’s ever been anything quite like it. Even the reboot doesn't hold up.

So when the original trio—Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May—went on a global farewell tour, I knew I needed to see it. Not only was it my last chance to see them together, but also in person. It wasn't even marketed as a final tour, since it was announced before the BBC dropped Clarkson.

Though it was a world tour, they didn't have a stop in the US. It seems the British still don't like us. Oh well, it was a great excuse for me to travel to London for my vacation. I not only got to see them live, but I also got to sightsee. It was a win-win situation for me.

The show was incredible. It was like watching them tape the show live, but bigger and better. There were incredible stunts, amazing car showcases, and the best part: that signature British banter between these three awesome gents. Gotta admit, hearing them do it for the last time got me a bit choked up. I didn’t know back then that they'd go on to make a new show on Amazon Prime shortly after.

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Seeing it all live reminded me why I loved the show in the first place. I don't think any other program looked at the automobiles in such detail. It wasn't just a macho program where three guys talked about cars. There was real study and appreciation for the craft, the industry, and the people behind the best cars in the world.

Sure, the stunts and the banter added some panache to the whole thing, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who tuned in for the more serious, introspective segments. I also loved how the three hosts sincerely and authentically loved cars. You get a sense that they weren't just doing it for the money.

I saw it firsthand at the show in London. The British capital was their last stop, and I think I went to one of their final shows. It was everything I heard it would be and then some. The stunts were incredible, and the demonstrations were excellent, but Clarkson, Hammond, and May were the real stars of the show.

They had such confidence and charisma that I totally forgot about the Clarkson controversy that loomed over the tour. The man himself didn't look troubled at all, either. You never would've thought he was just fired from the show he ran for decades. I definitely couldn't have done what he did if I were in his place.

“There's no denying his talent and star quality.”

That made me even prouder that I got his autograph on my Top Gear poster. Say what you want about this man—and I agree that he can be a real bastard at times—there's no denying his talent and star quality. Getting him, Hammond, and May to sign my poster was the top highlight of my entire London trip.

I went on to watch their new show, The Grand Tour, on Amazon Prime afterward, but sadly, the show didn't last either. Here's hoping these three make another incredible show in the future. In the meantime, I'll just watch old episodes of Top Gear with them.

Some things you watch. This one you keep.

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