Andy Wilman, who worked as series producer on the legendary motoring programme, weighed in on an internal investigation that was conducted into Top Gear and described it as a ‘witch hunt’
Matt Davies Trendswatch Reporter
14:19, 02 Nov 2025
Top Gear’s co-creator opened up about what he termed a “witch hunt”(Image: Gallo Images, Getty Images)
Top Gear’s co-creator has spoken candidly about what he branded a “witch hunt” during his time working on the hugely successful BBC programme. Andy Wilman, who served as series producer on the iconic motoring show, weighed in on an internal investigation into what one publication described as its “work culture and practices”.
Andy also faced a “dressing down” from the BBC’s Editorial Policy department, the Sun reports after fury erupted over the alleged use of a slur during filming in Thailand.
Fronted by Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, Top Gear’s original run concluded in 2015 (the programme would subsequently be rebooted), with the initial presenting team moving to Amazon Prime for a new motoring series, The Grand Tour.
In excerpts from his latest book, Mr Wilman’s Motoring Adventure, as detailed by the Sun, Andy penned: “As good as we were at walking the line, sometimes entitlement creeps in, you get giddy and you plain just f* up.”
Hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, Top Gear’s first iteration ended in 2015(Image: Getty Images)
Andy, who subsequently branded the investigation “a f***ing joke”, stated: “What we had going here, in my opinion, was a witch hunt.”
Despite the report clearing the show, it was decided that an executive producer would have to attend Top Gear’s edit. Andy said this was for the purposes of “making sure we didn’t play silly buggers with the content”.
It would be a show that, at its most popular, drew in a staggering audience of 350 million viewers, but would be put on a reported hiatus after host Freddie Flintoff was involved in a horror crash during filming in 2022.
Jeremy, James and Richard’s Amazon venture also concluded last year, but Jeremy continued with Amazon for his programme, Clarkson’s Farm, an enormously successful series following the relative farming newcomer’s attempts to manage a 1,000-acre Cotswolds farm.
In other news, Jeremy recently left his followers baffled with a post in which he revealed that Clarkson’s Farm’s production had been halted, but the agricultural work would continue.
Top Gear’s original presenting trio moved to Amazon Prime(Image: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Writing on X, he stated: “Filming at Diddly Squat has stopped for a little while, but the farming goes on. Today, I have rented out a pig for sexual purposes.”
His supporters subsequently shared their reactions to the remark, with one commenting: “How does one move from cars to pig pimpery? It doesn’t seem a natural transition.”
Another responded: “Thank you, Jeremy. That will be all. We’re trying to enjoy our Sunday bacon and eggs here.”
Jeremy’s message emerged just hours after the presenter voiced his wish to position snipers in trees to target “people who drop litter”. Writing in the Sunday Times, he suggested there would be “no reading of the rights”.
He acknowledged that whilst he was “not a believer” in capital punishment, he would “make an exception” for those who “can’t be bothered” to locate a bin.
He further commented: “Seriously, I would have snipers in trees and on top of bus shelters, and there’d be no trials, no arrest, no reading of the rights.”
The BBC has been approached for a comment on Andy’s comments.
