Clarkson's Best Pal Calls Him 'Impatient' and 'Deaf' in Savage Dig
Jeremy Clarkson's long-time collaborator and close friend, Andy Wilman, has delivered a scathing assessment of the veteran TV presenter, revealing that Clarkson lacks patience and is an appalling listener.
Wilman, executive producer of Clarkson's Farm, made the comments at the Edinburgh TV Festival, while discussing the authenticity of the show. Responding to a question about staged scenes, he stated that Clarkson's Farm didn't need any orchestration. This, he explained, was due to Clarkson's "inability to listen and [his] lack of patience".
In a light-hearted, yet pointed, interview ahead of Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May's final Grand Tour episode, Wilman elaborated: "We don't need to set anything up. He knows bugger all about anything mechanical and because he can't listen and has no patience, he'll start driving something and next thing you know he's in a pond â so we don't set anything up and it makes us so happy that we don't have to."
Wilman also offered insights into the final Grand Tour episode, scheduled to air next month. This episode sees the iconic trio embark on one last road trip, marking a poignant farewell.
He described the episode as "deliberately gentle," a fitting goodbye between the three friends who remain deeply involved in their individual projects. "Not much happens, I would say," Wilman added, "Anybody that thinks they're going to get Avengers: Endgame will be disappointed but their camaraderie is next level. They say goodbye better than any presenters could ever say goodbye because theyâre so close. They can take the piss out of one another and then be emotional as well. Itâs quite weepy."
Wilman also recounted a tense episode from the trio's time at the BBC, revealing a battle with the broadcaster over the future of the presenting team. "We were fighting the BBC, and they wanted to keep Richard and James so that we would be broken up. They made a big move for them. There was a lot of emotion. Both sides were pretty arsey, so Iâm not saying we were great. But we stayed together."
Despite this tumultuous period, Wilman praised Amazon for their handling of the final Grand Tour episode. "They have been really good about thisâ¦they will celebrate our goodbye."
The teaser for the final episode, released earlier this week, shows Clarkson driving and turning to the camera, stating: "So, for the last time, here we go." The episode is scheduled to be released on September 13th.
