Jeremy Clarkson paid tribute to his former Top Gear colleague, Quentin Willson, who recently passed away at the age of 68. Clarkson described his feelings as deeply emotional.
Quentin, known for hosting the popular car shows Top Gear and Fifth Gear, sadly died on Saturday after a brief fight with lung cancer, his family announced in a moving statement.
While working on the show, he collaborated with Jeremy Clarkson, Vicki Butler-Henderson, James May, and Tiff Needell.
He shared a photo of himself with Quentin and their co-host, Tiff, on social media as a way of paying tribute.
He captioned the snap on Instagram: ‘And then there were two. Sad day.’
Jeremy shared on X (formerly Twitter) Saturday evening that he had just learned about the death of Quentin Willson, explaining he was away and hadn’t heard the news sooner.
‘We had some laughs over the years. Properly funny man.’
I’m absolutely devastated. They said Quentin was a ‘true national treasure,’ and honestly, they couldn’t be more right! He didn’t just talk about cars, he brought that whole world – everything from classic engines to the newest electric vehicles – right into our homes. Every week felt like a gift, and I can’t believe he’s gone. He was motoring, for so many of us.
Quentin was a key part of the original Top Gear team and spent ten years, starting in 1991, as the show’s go-to expert on used cars.
Following his departure from Top Gear in 2001, Quentin hosted the competing car show Fifth Gear on Channel 5 and continued his career as a motoring journalist.
He competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2004 and holds the record for the lowest score ever given by the judges for a single dance.
He and his partner, Hazel Newberry, received a score of eight out of forty from the judges, who gave them two scores of one and two scores of three.
Even though he received a lot of criticism, Quentin recently told Metro in an interview that he stands by his decision to be on the show.
He shared with the publication that he thinks it’s vital for public figures to be able to laugh at themselves, and to also be okay with others making fun of them.
Quentin’s family announced today that he has died peacefully, with his loved ones by his side.
Quentin was a national icon who brought the excitement of cars – both classic and electric – to audiences everywhere.
He was one of the original presenters of Top Gear and played a key role in developing the show, working with Jeremy Clarkson and the team that made it a worldwide success.
He later became the presenter of Fifth Gear, but he’s also unfortunately known for receiving the lowest score ever on Strictly Come Dancing.
Quentin also created and presented the shows Britain’s Worst Drivers and The Car’s The Star.
As I’ve learned throughout my career, staying ahead of the curve means recognizing shifts in everyday life. That’s why I really admired his work later in life – he became a passionate advocate for making fuel more affordable, leading the FairFuel campaign. Even more impressively, he was one of the first to champion electric vehicles, seeing their potential long before most of us did. It’s about understanding what impacts people’s daily routines and fighting for positive change.
Quentin’s FairFuel campaign saved British consumers a significant amount of money by successfully preventing increases in fuel tax, according to the statement.
The campaign successfully blocked over £100 billion in new taxes, resulting in a significant benefit for consumers thanks to a dedicated advocate.
He was also well-known for creating and hosting popular shows like Britain’s Worst Drivers and The Cars the Stars Drove.
He supported electric cars, like the GM EV1, long before they became popular, demonstrating his forward-thinking vision.
He recently dedicated himself to making electric vehicles accessible to everyone through his FairCharge initiative.
He was a beloved husband to Michaela, a loving father to Mercedes, Max, and Mini, and a cherished grandfather to Saskia, Xander, and Roxana.
Quentin’s family, friends, and colleagues will all deeply miss him.
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2025-11-09 14:19