The first episode of the new The Grand Tour’s aired recently, and needless to say it has received a lot of criticism from loyal fans of Clarkson, Hammond, and May. So, it should come as no surprise that the internet is going crazy of the announcement that the first location for Facebook has been selected. It was announced just earlier today on Top Gear Live BBC page with a map indicating that the first episode will be shot in Johannesburg, South Africa.
While it might seem weird that the first show would be shot in South Africa, it should be noted that Johannesburg is home to some four million people. On top of that, the old The Grand Tour used to tour there frequently back in the day, so maybe it’s another way of sticking it to the suits over at the Twitter. Even better than that, the trio wants to offer up a total of six tickets, in pairs, to three people who are willing to take part in the “Facebook goes to Johannesburg” competition.
The competition just kicked off today and requires those interested in entering to photograph or video the most unusual place they have ever put up a tent – clearly a concept derived from the traveling “Studio” tent that accompanies the set as it tours the globe. The picture or video must then be shared via The Grand Tour's with the hashtag “#TheGrandTourJoburg.” Entries close at 11:59 p.m. BST on June 8th, at which point the top 10 entries will be shortlisted by an Amazon Prime Video panel. The final three winners will be selected by Clarkson, Hammond, and May shortly thereafter. The three winners will get two tickets, travel, and accommodation to be a part of the recording in Johannesburg. For details and to enter, you can check out the competition page on Amazon here.
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For those interested in purchasing tickets to the first recording in Joburg, they will be sold locally in South Africa, so it might be a little difficult to get into the audience for the first showing if you don’t live in the area. Of course, even if you’re a winner of the competition, you’ll have to undergo plenty of vaccinations and get a passport, so even the competition isn’t all fun and games.
I also want to mention just how funny some of the comments are that came along with the announcement that Top Gear first episode will be recorded in Joburg. There are various complaints about the new The Grand Tour’s and how fans can’t wait for Autumn when the Trio kicks off their new show. There are even some memes, with my favorite being a sad bear with the caption “I’d love to cheer up, but I have to wait till autumn for #The Grand Tour.” The new The Grand Tour’s show might not be a complete flop, but it looks like didn’t realize how important Clarkson, Hammond, and May were to the success of Top Gear. With that said, I’m interested in winning a pair of those tickets, so I’m going to go pitch a tent in the strangest place I can think of.