Days before the final Grand Tour episode airs, Jeremy Clarkson criticizes Bear Grylls, accusing him of misleading viewers and fueling misconceptions about survival shows

As fans gear up for the final episode of The Grand Tour, Jeremy Clarkson has stirred controversy with a brutal dig at survival expert Bear Grylls. Clarkson, known for his sharp tongue, publicly criticized Grylls for contributing to a common misconception about how survival and adventure shows are filmed.

In an interview leading up to the release of The Grand Tour: One for the Road, Clarkson, alongside co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May, reflected on their 22 years together as one of television’s most famous trios. The final episode, airing this Friday, will mark the end of an era for the show, which began with Top Gear and evolved into The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime.

The episode’s synopsis teases an emotional sendoff as the trio embarks on their last adventure across Zimbabwe, driving classic cars they’ve always wanted to own—a Lancia Montecarlo, a Ford Capri 3-litre, and a Triumph Stag. While fans eagerly await the conclusion, Clarkson has been making headlines for another reason: his criticism of Bear Grylls.

Clarkson’s comments came after recent discussions on Joe Rogan’s podcast with current Top Gear host Chris Harris. The two revisited a controversial moment from Clarkson’s Top Gear days, where he reviewed a Tesla and allegedly manipulated the footage to make it appear as though the car had died during filming. This story prompted Clarkson to defend his reputation and slam Grylls for a separate controversy.

Grylls, a former SAS trooper and survival TV star, has previously faced criticism for not participating in certain challenges on his show and staying in hotels rather than braving the wilderness overnight. This revelation led some viewers to question the authenticity of other shows, including Top Gear and The Grand Tour.

Clarkson wasted no time in drawing a sharp line between his own work and Grylls’ approach. He declared: “After Bear Grylls was exposed for buying costumes and staying in hotels, people started assuming that we all do the same. And we never did. If we said we camped, we camped.”

Clarkson’s remarks highlight his frustration with the assumptions that arose following Grylls’ revelations. By directly comparing his show’s authenticity to Grylls’, Clarkson aimed to clear up misconceptions that had plagued The Grand Tour team in recent years.

As Clarkson, Hammond, and May prepare to close the final chapter of their adventure-filled careers together, the debate about reality in television continues to simmer. Whether Bear Grylls will respond to Clarkson’s criticisms remains to be seen.

Analysis

Political: Clarkson’s dig at Bear Grylls brings to light the growing public scrutiny of television authenticity, a subject that has political undertones in the way media is regulated and the ethics surrounding broadcast content. Clarkson’s comments speak to a broader issue: the way popular shows, especially those with a factual or educational slant, shape public perception. With the rise of social media and increased transparency, it has become more challenging for networks to sidestep accountability. Clarkson’s criticism of Grylls, therefore, can be seen as part of this wider political discussion about the role of media in maintaining viewer trust. Politically, it questions how much regulation and oversight are needed for shows that straddle the line between entertainment and education.

Social: From a social perspective, Clarkson’s remarks touch on the broader issue of authenticity in the media. In recent years, audiences have become more aware—and often skeptical—of the ‘reality’ presented on television. This debate is particularly heated in survival and adventure programming, where the boundary between entertainment and real danger is blurred. Clarkson’s assertion that The Grand Tour team always lived up to their claims challenges this distrust. His direct comparison to Grylls, who admitted to staging aspects of his show, suggests that viewers are demanding more transparency and honesty from the media they consume. This speaks to a shift in societal values toward authenticity, where audiences now expect to be given the unvarnished truth, even in entertainment.

Racial: Clarkson’s comments on Grylls and his exposure don’t directly touch on racial issues, but the broader debate on authenticity in television does have racial undertones. In recent years, there has been increased attention to how different races and cultures are represented on screen. Survival shows like those Grylls is known for often portray indigenous practices and survival techniques, sometimes without fully crediting the original source. This has led to accusations of cultural appropriation and exploitation. While Clarkson’s dig may not explicitly address race, the conversation around authenticity could extend to how survival shows depict various cultures, and whether those portrayals are respectful and accurate.

Gender: Gender plays a subtle but important role in this discussion of survivalism and adventure. Shows like Bear Grylls’ and The Grand Tour are often marketed with a hyper-masculine edge, emphasizing danger, risk-taking, and physical prowess—qualities traditionally associated with male adventurers. Clarkson’s criticism of Grylls for allegedly “staying in hotels” during his survival expeditions touches on this gendered notion of what it means to be tough or resilient. Both Clarkson and Grylls operate in spaces that are typically male-dominated, but their approaches diverge in terms of how they present masculinity. Clarkson, by claiming that his team camped out when they said they would, suggests a more ‘authentic’ masculine experience compared to Grylls, who has been accused of taking shortcuts.

Economical: Economically, the survival and adventure show genre is a lucrative space in television, and controversies about authenticity can have serious financial repercussions. Clarkson’s criticism of Grylls may be aimed, in part, at maintaining the credibility of his own brand. For The Grand Tour, which thrives on the genuine chemistry between Clarkson, Hammond, and May, authenticity is a key selling point. The show’s success, and thus its revenue, relies on the audience believing that the trio are genuinely engaging with the environments and challenges they face. In contrast, Grylls’ brand has taken a hit since the revelations about staged survival elements, which likely affected the marketability of his programs. Clarkson’s comments reinforce the idea that authenticity directly correlates with financial success in the media industry.

Overall, the spat between Clarkson and Grylls highlights several important debates about reality television. It speaks to the pressures of maintaining authenticity in a media landscape where audiences are more critical and informed than ever before. The tension between entertainment and factual accuracy continues to challenge both established and emerging shows in the genre.