The Most Controversial Bits in Jeremy Clarkson’s, Richard Hammond’s, and James May’s Careers

If there’s one thing that we’ve noticed about the trio of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, it’s that they haven’t been afraid of a little bit of controversy. Whether it was on Top Gear or The Grand Tour, the bits that they choose to take part in really test the boundaries. It’s almost like their antics fall into the realm of comedy where they can kind of get away with making fun of some things that a lot of other people just couldn’t.

However, this free-spirited way of making fun of the world certainly has landed them in hot water a time or two. Over the years, Jeremy Clarkson has mainly been the one at the center of the controversy. In fact, all sorts of different mainstream media has picked up stories, questioning if he’s off his rocker a little bit. However, his co-hosts in Hammond and May have also found their way to interject their own controversial jokes into bits at times.

In any case, whether or not someone agrees with their opinions, it’s hard to argue with the fact the controversy has sold. I think that it’s quite arguable that these controversial comedic takes are a big part of what draws people in and keeps them coming back. For those who haven’t seen the show, hearing the presenters’ names pop up in the news serves as plenty of free advertising.

At the end of the day, a legendary run like this is sure to come with a couple of bumps in the road. The video below takes the liberty of compiling some of the most controversial bits that the crew has decided to put on the air. In today’s environment, we aren’t even sure if most of these would fly with a major network. However, at the time, it seems like they definitely helped to propel this trio to their eventual untouchable status in the automotive world.