The Fourth series of the Amazon motoring show The Grand Tour, featuring ex-Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, premiered on the 13th of December, 2019 and it concluded on the 12th of December, 2021.
Unlike previous seasons, the fourth season of the show had specials airing every few months.
Episodes[]
| Episode | Summary | Airdate |
| Seamen | (South East Asia Special) The presenters are challenged to traverse the Mekong River, from Cambodia's Tonle Sap Lake to Vung Tau, Vietnam, in a selection of boats. | December 13th, 2019 |
| A Massive Hunt | (Madagascar Special) The presenters travel to the Reunion Island in three high performance cars before modifying them for a treasure hunt across Madagascar. | December 17th, 2020 |
| Lochdown | (Scotland Special) The presenters travel from Edinburgh to the Outer Herbedries in three enormous American Luxury cars. They also drive some other classic american cars. | July 30th, 2021 |
| Carnage A Trois | The presenters travel from Crickenhowell, Wales through Leamington Spa, Warwickshire and end up at Beachy Head in Eastbourne, Sussex, while looking at the weird and wonderful cars of France. | December 17th, 2021 |
History[]
In December 2018, it was announced that The Grand Tour had been renewed beyond its original three-season order. At the time, it was announced that the show would return for an extra two years (presumed to be two extra seasons). The renewal is the first, and so far only, extension of the show beyond its original announcement.
Production[]
Filming began in June 2019, with the trio being sighted in Vietnam and Cambodia. Filming has since taken the crew to Reunion Island and Madagascar and Scotland. Also, it is speculated to be heading to Bhutan in the future. Andy Wilman and the presenter trio have told that the production has been in jeopardy due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Changes since Season 3[]
The fourth series sees the departure of the show's studio links, also ending Conversation Street segments, Eboladrome laps, and celebrity-related segments. Instead, the trio are focusing on large-scale road trips, more commonly known as Specials.
The series represents the most significant overhaul of the show's format since its inception and since the revival of Top Gear, which had followed similar themes, in 2002.
Another significant change from the last series, involves the airing schedule. Normally on Top Gear and The Grand Tour's Series 1, 2, 3, the episodes would air weekly during each series. However for Series 4, there would be huge gaps in between specials, as Amazon had "freed up their schedule" meaning the trio could focus on some of their own shows.
History[]
On the 4th of August, 2019, Clarkson divulged further information about the upcoming series, notably that the ending originally planned months in advance for their first special did not occur due to the deaths of four people in the same location, but that the ending which did happen was "one hell of an ending" regardless.
On the 2nd of October 2019, Clarkson announced that the trio would film a second special in November. The trio were spotted filming on Reunion Island and Madagascar.
On the 15th of August 2020, Grand Tour Nation announced that the Madagascar special will be aired on the 4th of September 2020. Amazon later claimed this released date was mistakenly announced, with no new release date given. Amazon's Alexa gave another date - 11th of December 2020, but that was also confirmed to be incorrect.[1]
On the 6th of October 2020, Jeremy Clarkson revealed through his Instagram account that they had finished filming a special in Scotland.[2]
On the 18th of November 2020, Amazon Prime released a full-length trailer for the previously named "Madagascar" Special, revealing the release date - 18th of December 2020. The Special premiered one day early, on the 17th of December, named A Massive Hunt.
During Early 2021, a DriveTribe video featured a catchup with Jeremy Clarkson where he stated they would likely be filming another special somewhere in the UK (during Late April) as it is still not safe to travel due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Around April 24th, The Grand Tour was seen filming in various places around Coventry. There was some slight controversy at Leamington where they held up traffic slightly. Later that week, they were seen filming at Eastbourne, near Brighton.
This is now known to have been filming for Carnage A Trois.
_Eastbourne_Filming.jpg "Citroen SM (and Camera Car) Eastbourne Filming.jpg (247 KB)")
Trivia[]
- A special was planned in Russia, in March 2020, but was unfortunately cut off just before filming by the COVID-19 Pandemic so had not yet been filmed.
- Clarkson announced that a special was initially meant to be filmed in the Middle East, however due to fears of terrorism, it was cancelled.
- ↑ https://www.grandtournation.com/thegrandtour/the-grand-tour-amazon-alexa-reveals-potential-release-date-of-madagascar-special/%7C The Grand Tour: Amazon Alexa Reveals Potential Release Date Of Madagascar Special (Updated)
- ↑ https://www.tvshowsace.com/2020/10/06/the-grand-tour-scotland-filming-wrapped-did-alexa-reveal-madagascar-release-date/%7C ‘The Grand Tour’ Scotland Filming Wrapped, Did Alexa Reveal Madagascar Release Date?