Amazon Prime Video could part ways with The Grand Tour host Jeremy Clarkson after the conclusion of the already commissioned seasons amid his controversial comments about British royal family member Meghan Markle. According to a new report, Clarkson’s comments in a column published in British tabloid The Sun have sparked enough controversy to make the streaming giant reconsider any future plans with the TV presenter. Clarkson co-hosts the popular car show The Grand Tour along with Richard Hammond and James May and is also part of Clarkson’s Farm, both of which stream worldwide on Amazon Prime Video.
A report in Variety states that Amazon Prime Video will not be working with Jeremy Clarkson beyond seasons and episodes of The Great Tour and Clarkson’s Farm, which are already operational.
As of now, The Grand Tour is expected to run at least until late 2024 for specials already commissioned or in production, while Clarkson’s Farm has been commissioned for a third season that could also air in 2024. The second season of Clarkson’s Farm is expected to release on February 10, although the backlash to Clarkson’s comments could take some of the momentum out of any promotional activity Amazon Prime Video may have planned for the show.
The controversial comments were made against British royal family member Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, in December 2022 and were criticized as misogynistic and hateful. Clarkson has apologized publicly for the comments and has previously apologized privately to both the Duchess and her husband Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, but it appears the damage to his career has already been done.
Clarkson rose to fame hosting BBC’s Top Gear, a long-running show about cars and motoring, before being abruptly fired in 2015 for alleged racial abuse and assaulting a producer on the show. He and his former Top Gear co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May then signed a lucrative deal with Amazon Prime Video, which led to the production of The Grand Tour, which is said to be one of the platform’s most popular shows. With this latest controversy and the fallout to follow, this long-standing deal is likely to come to a similar end.
