First look at how The Grand Tour filming was affected by COVID as Lochdown special release date is confirmed
The first instalment of the two-part special is set in Scotland and sees the Clarkson, Hammond and May drive classic '70s American cars.
Amazon Prime Video has released the first full-length trailer for part one of The Grand Tour's lockdown special double bill – while also confirming a release date for the Scotland-set programme.
The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown will launch on Friday 30th July and will see Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May take a road trip around Scotland in American cars of the '70s.
At the beginning of the trailer, James May says "this promises to be the most beautiful drive we have ever done", before footage comically cuts to Clarkson having rather a difficult time of it.
The trio seem to be getting up to all their usual hijinks – tasked with building a floating bridge across the Hebridean sea, while also forced to deal with the problems of lockdown.
"Apparently there's some kind of virus going round," Clarkson says. "We aren't allowed to stay in a hotel even if we can find one."
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It seems that they quickly come up with a solution though as, in the next shot, we see them dragging mobile homes around attached to the back of their cars, something which only makes their journey more challenging and poses particular problems for Hammond.
The episode is the first of a double bill of specials, with the presenters confined to the UK as a result of COVID and therefore unable to travel to more exotic locations.
Production on the special began in October 2020, with Clarkson, May and Hammond forming a social bubble to allow filming to happen after plans for other episodes had to be delayed by the pandemic.
The trailer sees the crew wearing masks as we get a first look at the impact of the pandemic on filming.
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The American '70s cars of choice are a Cadillac Coupe De Ville as driven by Elvis, a Lincoln Continental as driven by Jock Ewing of Dallas fame, and a Buick Riviera as piloted by Clint Eastwood.
And the official description for the special reads, "Along the way they cause chaos on the ancient streets of Edinburgh, enjoy a hilarious, tyre torturing, high octane showdown with Abbie on the racetrack, before heading off to stage an epic Cold War shootout between the worst Soviet and American cars ever made.
"They also find themselves homeless in the Highlands after a series of housing-based crash bang wallop catastrophes, but still find time to use classic muscle cars to put an infamous Pizza Express journey to the test."
Grand Tour presents: Lochdown will arrive on Amazon Prime Video on 30th July 2021. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Entertainment hub for more news and feature.
