Goodbye Clarkson, May and Hammond’s Top Gear

So, the final episode of Top Gear season 22 has finally aired and aside from that giant elephant in the room, it was pretty much business as usual. The deliberately incompetent trio is shown faffing about with their usual hijinks, causing mayhem and (controlled) destruction.

It’s all very funny and entertaining.

But it is also the swan song of a television program that’s turned into an international institution, brought about by some sort of magic combination that was definitely greater than the sum of its parts.

I know Top Gear will continue with new hosts and new formatting, but it’s unlikely to ever be that show about three immature people made for immature people watched and laughed at any more. So, here’s to you, Clarkson, May and Hamster. Thanks for the memories!