The BBC allegedly believed that Top Gear’s legendary presenting trio — Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond — was “too white,” according to new revelations from a former senior producer.
The three presenters fronted the hit motoring series throughout the 2000s and early 2010s, becoming one of the most iconic line-ups in British television. Their chemistry, humour and chaotic adventures helped transform Top Gear into a global phenomenon before the trio eventually departed in 2015 to create The Grand Tour for Prime Video.
Despite their massive popularity with audiences, former Top Gear and Grand Tour producer Andy Wilman has claimed that BBC executives expressed concerns about the team’s lack of diversity. Speaking ahead of the Thursday (November 6) release of his new book, Wilman said senior management questioned whether three “white, middleish-aged males” were the right fit for the show moving forward.
In extracts published by The Sun, Wilman recalled a meeting in which BBC bosses excitedly informed him that Top Gear had begun attracting younger Black and Asian viewers. However, what followed left him stunned.
According to Wilman, an executive asked: “So, how about replacing one of your line-up with a young, black or Asian presenter?”
Wilman pushed back, calling the suggestion “patronising,” and argued that diverse audiences were already choosing to watch Clarkson, May and Hammond because they enjoyed their dynamic.
He reportedly replied: “So hang on — you’ve got young Black and Asian viewers who have chosen, seemingly quite happily, to watch three white, middle-class, middle-aged men doing what they do, and in response to that, we should now break that team up, the one they enjoy watching, and give them something they’re most likely not asking for? Isn’t that sort of patronising to young Black and Asian viewers?”
The remarks shed new light on behind-the-scenes tensions between Top Gear’s creative team and BBC leadership during its height. They also highlight the broader industry debate around representation, diversity and how best to achieve it without disrupting what audiences already love.
Wilman’s book is expected to share more untold stories from his decades working alongside Clarkson, Hammond and May — a partnership that remains one of television’s most successful.
