James Could has revealed he ’would not rule out’ filming extra TV exhibits with Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond amid stories they’re set to depart the Grand Tour.
The presenter claimed the trio, who rose to fame internet hosting BBC’s Prime Gear, have ’filmed the final one [episode], for now’ and joked he was ’technically unemployed’.
Could, who made the remarks on Radio 4’s As we speak programme which he was visitor enhancing on Wednesday morning, mentioned he nonetheless speaks to Clarkson and Hammond, who he first started working with in 2003.
He mentioned whereas they’re ’getting on a bit’ in age, if the appropriate thought or alternative arose he may very well be tempted to step again in entrance of the digicam with them.
The 60-year-old added that the three of them had all the time needed to complete their time on the Grand Tour ’with grace reasonably than fly it right into a cliff’.
James Could (proper) with Jeremy Clarkson (centre) and Richard Hammond (left) in a promotional picture for BBC’s Prime Gear, which they offered from 2003 to 2015
Talking on BBC Radio 4’s As we speak programme, James Could joked he was ’technically unemployed’
It was reported final month that Could, together with Clarkson and Hammond, have been set to stroll away from the Grand Tour, a present which they’ve hosted since 2016.
Chatting with As we speak host Justin Webb, Could revealed that two extra episodes of the programme will come out subsequent yr however after that the long run is unsure.
Chatting with Radio 4’s As we speak programme, which he was visitor enhancing, Could mentioned: ’We have filmed the final one, for now.’
When requested if the trio, who’ve change into family names with their motoring antics, may very well be introduced again collectively, he mentioned: ’I would not rule it out, however you do have to remember that we’re all getting on a bit.’
He added: ’We have got two [episodes of the Grand Tour] within the bag, there’s one popping out very quickly, and one other popping out a bit after that, however what occurs between from time to time we’ll have to attend and see.’
’I suppose that makes me technically unemployed,’ he joked, ’I can hear the cheers rolling across the nation.’
When requested by Webb whether or not they had any tasks within the works as a trio, Could mentioned: ’I am unable to reveal that as a result of the brutal reality is I do not know but. However I do nonetheless converse to them.’
He then claimed that relying on what it was he might see himself working with Clarkson and Hammond once more, but it surely must be one thing that may work nicely.
’A part of our dialog has all the time been how we land it with grace reasonably than fly it right into a cliff,’ he mentioned.
’I do suppose that regardless of us clearly coming to the tip of our time doing this and the cancellation of Prime Gear, there has by no means been a greater time [for there to be a motoring programme].
’Issues like the way forward for autonomous automobiles, new technique of powering automobiles, a change of common attitudes in direction of automobiles and driving, there’s by no means been a greater time for a automobile present. And the automobile present itself wants reinvention.’
Jeremy Clarkson (proper), Richard Hammond (centre) and James Could (left) filmed throughout an episode of The Grand Tour: A Scandi Flick
The trio being filmed on a race monitor throughout The Grand Tour’s jap Europe particular – Eurocrash
It was reported final month that Could, together with Clarkson and Hammond, was set to go away the Grand Tour shocked followers.
The present itself might proceed with out the presenters, with Prime Video exploring choices on the right way to transfer ahead with out the them – and it’s believed the trio should not in opposition to new hosts being employed.
Followers of the present will nonetheless have some extra helpings of The Grand Tour to stay up for – two particular episodes which can observe Clarkson, Could and Hammond to Mauritania and Zimbabwe are set to be launched subsequent yr.
The trio additionally produce other tasks within the pipeline – Clarkson not too long ago filmed a 3rd season of Clarkson’s Farm and a fourth is within the pipeline, whereas Could has one other set of Our Man In… travelogues to be launched.
By shifting on from the programme it could carry collectively an especially profitable affiliation between Clarkson, aged 63, Could, aged 60, and Hammond, aged 52, stretching again 20 years.
The group had shot to superstardom after taking on BBC’s Prime Gear, turning it from a distinct segment automobile programme into one of many company’s hottest properties and promoting spin-offs all over the world.
Their time on the present wasn’t with out controversy.
Richard Hammond almost misplaced his life when he was concerned in a 320mph crash whereas filming a Prime Gear stunt at York’s Elvington airfield again in 2006
The presenter was in a coma for 2 weeks and the incident left him with severe head accidents. Pictured is the mangled automobile
Prime Gear was criticised by the Mexican ambassador after his individuals have been branded ’lazy, feckless and flatulent’
The presenters of Prime Gear have been hounded out of Argentina in 2014 over this numberplate
Clarkson was dropped from Prime Gear in 2015 over what the BBC referred to as an ’unprovoked bodily and verbal assault’ on producer Oisin Tymon (who he’s pictured with)
Richard Hammond was almost killed when he was concerned in a 320mph crash whereas filming a stunt for the present, with the impression leaving him in a coma for 2 weeks and ’Hamster’ himself admitting he fears getting early onset dementia because of this.
The trio additionally grew to become the main target of a lot of racism rows, with the ambassador for Mexico complaining when his individuals have been branded ’lazy’, ’feckless’ and ’flatulent’ on the present, sparking an apology from the BBC.
They have been additionally hounded out of Argentina by an offended mob after a row over a quantity plate used whereas filming the sequence. Officers claimed that H982 FKL on a Porche – which was registered in Could 1991 – was a reference to the 1982 Falklands Battle.
That very same yr, Ofcom dominated that there had been a breach of the broadcasting code by together with an offensive racial time period in the course of the programme’s Burma Particular.
They dramatically left the programme in 2015 after Clarkson was sacked by the channel following a bust-up with producers, earlier than returning on The Grand Tour in 2016.
Since then they’ve hosted 44 episodes of the sequence, which has taken them all over the world on specials to Cambodia and Vietnam, Reunion and Madagascar, Scandinavia, and jap Europe.