Jeremy Clarkson ends partnership with Richard Hammond and James May: ‘I’m too old and fat'

Jeremy Clarkson is a well-known British television presenter, primarily recognised for his work in automotive entertainment over decades. He gained widespread fame as the lead presenter of the BBC'sTop Gear. Clarkson's partnership with Richard Hammond and James May began in 2002 when they co-hosted Top Gear.

The trio’s chemistry became a significant factor in the show’s success. Together, they turned Top Gear into one of the most popular television programmes globally. Clarkson—who has a massive net worth—was dismissed from the BBC in 2015 after he punched a producer, and the show eventually shifted to Amazon Prime under the name The Grand Tour.

Jeremy Clarkson reveals his age made him end his partnership with Richard Hammond and James May

Clarkson's partnership with Hammond and May has been one of the longest-running and most successful collaborations in television, spanning over two decades. However, he has now announced that he’s stepping away from this partnership.

After over two decades of working together on popular shows like Top Gear and The Grand Tour, Clarkson revealed that his age and weight have made it difficult for him to continue participating in the automotive adventures that have defined their careers, reports The Independent. In a recent interview with The Sunday Times, he said:

After 36 years of talking about cars on television, I’m packing it in, because I’m too old and fat to get into the cars that I like and not interested in driving those I don’t.

What this means of course is that my 22-year partnership with James May and Richard Hammond is now over. You can see our final road trip together on Amazon Prime very soon. It’s emotional.

Their final adventure together will be showcased in a special episode of The Grand Tour titled ‘One for the Road,’ set to air on 13 September 2024. As per The Sun, in the trailer for the upcoming show, the presenters are seen getting emotional as ‘He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother’ by The Hollies plays in the background.

Show producer Andy Wilman spoke at the Edinburgh TV Festival about their goodbye and said, ‘they say goodbye better than any other presenters.’ Since the trio shares a close bond, the goodbye is quite ‘weepy and heartstringy.’ Wilman added:

Their camaraderie is next level, you can see and they know that this is the last time they'll do this.

Jeremy Clarkson: His age and health struggles revealed

Clarkson turned 64 this year and has often opened up about his health struggles. Apart from his age and weight, the TV presenter recently had a minor health scare when his farm manager and co-star Kaleb Cooper suggested he might have developed vitiligo. According to The Standard, after Clarkson returned from his trip to the south of France with his girlfriend, Lisa Hogan, Cooper noticed unusual changes in his appearance.

While Clarkson didn’t have the condition, the incident highlighted that his sunbathing days are long gone. He recalled how he used to spend time in the sun, hoping for a deep tan, but instead, his skin would turn red and peel, which exacerbated his existing eczema. He added:

So now I don't sunbathe at all. I just sit under a tree until five and then scuttle at high speed into the pool. When I returned to the farm on Monday, Kaleb thought I'd caught vitiligo.

Apart from sunbathing problems, Clarkson confessed that he has developed poor memory, and his recent hearing loss has ‘doubled the chance’ of dementia.

Read more

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Jeremy Clarkson: The presenter reveals his hidden health scare

Sources used

The Independent: Jeremy Clarkson explains why he’s ended TV partnership with Richard Hammond and James May

The Sun: The Grand Tour’s final episode to show Jeremy Clarkson and Co ‘reduced to tears’ as they end 22 year TV career together

The Standard: Jeremy Clarkson raises concern about his health after Kaleb Cooper spots issue