Francis Bourgeois is going from trainspotting to The Grand Tour.
The Grand Tour will be back on our screens in a matter of days — and there’ll be three new hosts in the driver’s seat. James Engelsman, Thomas Holland and Francis Bourgeois have very big shoes to fill, as they’ll be taking over from the iconic trio of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.
The youngest of the new trio, Francis Bourgeois, made his name on YouTube as a trainspotter and was a huge fan of Top Gear growing up.
Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy, Bourgeois has revealed what it was like to finally meet Clarkson, who will appear in an episode of the new season.
“It was amazing,” Bourgeois shared. “I thought back to the first time I watched Top Gear, and I was probably about eight, and it was one of the best moments of my childhood. I was just wetting myself.
“I found it so funny, yet they were talking about cars! Sunday night, watching Top Gear, was like Christmas. Building up to it, and then the suspense, and after… it was like ‘ah, I’ve got to wait to next week’.
“So for that relationship to the show, to be a part of all of our car enthusiasms, to then meet him, to see him and to shake his hand… it was an honour,” he added. “He is a gentle giant.”
Bourgeois has also promised not to let fame change him, saying he will still be “going to tea rooms and train stations”, adding: “There may be an increase in people saying hello but if that is a by-product of doing the Grand Tour…”
Speaking of new fans, the trio are ready for the newfound attention.
“It is so good to be tapped into your audience; certainly I will be trying to read every single comment,” Bourgeois said.
Holland added: “The feedback is very very important. As content creators we are in the business of trying to make something people want to watch and hearing what people liked and didn’t like will inevitably change what we are trying to do.”
Engelsman joked: “If the feedback is just ‘I hate your face,’ then there’s not much we can do.”
