Richard Hammond has revealed he reckons Top Gear will eventually return in some form – after it was announced last year that the motoring show would not be back for the foreseeable future.

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Hammond famously presented the long-running series alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May for several years until they departed in 2015, with the trio subsequently going on to make several episodes of their new show, The Grand Tour, for Prime Video.

That series is now also set to come to a close – with the upcoming special The Grand Tour: Sand Job set to be the penultimate instalment.

Ahead of Sand Job's debut, Hammond was asked by Radio Times magazine if he thought the end may be in sight for this kind of programme more generally.

Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond in Mauritania filming for The Grand Tour: Sand Job.
Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond in Mauritania filming for The Grand Tour: Sand Job. Prime Video

"I very much doubt it," was his response. "Top Gear was on hiatus when we took it on so it’ll come back one day, although in what shape I don’t know.

"The decision to buy our next car is probably the most significant contribution we can make as individuals to the future, so we need to be informed. Maybe that’s the route it could take?"

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He added: "As for shows like The Grand Tour, I don’t think the human desire for adventure is ever going to be sated. It’ll continue in different forms, modified to suit its time."

Top Gear was most recently presented by the trio of Freddie Flintoff, Chris Harris, and Paddy McGuinness, but the future of the show was called into question when Flintoff was injured in a car crash at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in Surrey in late 2022.

The BBC confirmed in November that further seasons would now be put on hold, with a statement explaining that it "remains committed to Freddie, Chris and Paddy, who have been at the heart of the show's renaissance since 2019, and we're excited about new projects being developed with each of them".

The statement concluded: "We know resting the show will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right thing to do."

David Tennant Radio Times cover
Radio Times.

The Grand Tour: Sand Job launches globally on 16th February on Prime Video. Try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days. Plus, read our guides to the best Amazon Prime series and the best movies on Amazon Prime.

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