Support truly
independent journalism
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
Louise Thomas
Editor
Jeremy Clarkson’s working relationship with Richard Hammond and James May appears to be officially over.
The TV star is currently enjoying the biggest success of his career with Clarkson’s Farm, a series airing on Amazon’s subscription service Prime Video that documents his attempts to run the 1000-acre farm he purchased in 2008.
Since premiering in 2021, Clarkson has extended his business empire by purchasing a Cotswolds pub for £1m – something he is developing a brand new series about, which will no doubt include the grim discovery he made outside the country boozer earlier this week.
But those hoping Clarkson’s Farm was a temporary stopgap in between new seasons of The Grand Tour – the Prime Video show the trio made together after leaving Top Gear – will be left disappointed following what looks to be the closing of the production company co-owned by Clarkson, Hammond and May.
MailOnline reports that, on Thursday (11 July), the presenters approved the disolution of W Chump and Sons, which produced The Grand Tour, with government agency Companies House.
As part of the company’s dissolution, the trio declared solvency and have appointed a liquidator to “wind up” their business.
This development appears to confirm hints that the show’s forthcoming special, which was filmed in Zimbabwe, will be the last time the trio will work together.
The Independent has contacted Clarkson, Hammond and May for comment.
Clarkson and Hammond hosted Top Gear’s first series in 2002 alongside Jason Dawe, with May replacing the latter in series two. The trio’s chemistry and on-screen interactions was one of the reasons the show became such a success, and they remained on the BBC motoring show until Clarkson was dropped in 2015 following a behind-the-scenes incident.
Hammond and May proved their loyalty to Clarkson by also leaving the show and, together, they created The Grand Tour, which premiered in 2016.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
It was claimed in November 2023 that the final special, filmed as part of the fifth series, would be the show’s finale.
Clarkson’s Farm has since become one of the biggest hits on Prime Video. Earlier this year, the TV star shared behind-the-scenes details of the show, revealing how the idea of free-grazing his pigs – a rare breed called Sandy and Black – ended in disaster.
Clarkson had been warned by land agent Charlie Ireland that it wouldn’t be as simple a task as he was thinking, stating: “Pigs need round-the-clock care.”
He learned this the hard way when many of the piglets died, with some of them being crushed accidentally by their mothers. In fact, so many piglets died that it left those working on the show feeling distressed.
