‘The Grand Tour,’ Jeremy Clarkson’s New Show, Breaks Amazon Viewership Record
“The Grand Tour” is due for a victory lap already – at least according to Amazon.
Last week’s premiere of the new automotive series featuring the former hosts of “Top Gear” has become the biggest show rollout ever on Amazon Prime Video. Amazon does not release official viewership numbers, but said on Monday that viewers in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Austria and Japan all streamed the premiere over the weekend.
The series stars Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May doing what they do best–travelling the world and discussing anything and everything car-related. Clarkson, who is known for being impulsive and outspoken, got into hot water at “Top Gear” after he punched a producer; he later apologized for the incident and settled a lawsuit over the matter.
Also Read: Former BBC Boss Say Firing Jeremy Clarkson From 'Top Gear' Was a Mistake
Viewership has even exceeded that of the previous number one show, “The Man in The High Castle.” Additionally, the day “The Grand Tour” debuted, total new Prime membership sign-ups exceeded all previous days with the exception of Amazon’s Prime Day.
“The guys are back, doing what they do best – the chemistry between Jeremy, Richard and James is what makes The Grand Tour so entertaining,” said Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon. “Their creativity, along with the amazing production quality and 4K HDR streaming, has Prime members responding in a big way. Kudos and congrats to the whole team.”
Further episodes will be released weekly over the next 11 weeks for Prime members in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Austria and Japan, and the show will premiere worldwide for Amazon customers in over 200 countries and territories in December.
Matt LeBlanc to Return as 'Top Gear' Host, BBC Confirms
Ex-'Top Gear' Host Chris Evans Won't Be Charged Over Sexual Assault Allegations