TEARFUL Top Gear legend Jeremy Clarkson has waved the chequered flag on 17 years of studio car shows with pals James May and Richard Hammond.

He choked up while filming the latest series of The Grand Tour as he told an audience: “It’s the end of an era.”

17 The trio have pulled the plug on their car show careers after 17 years of racing around the track Credit: PA:Press Association

Instead, the trio are hitting the road as they focus on big-budget specials to be shown over the next two years.

Jeremy Clarkson has pulled the plug on studio car shows — and said: “There are only so many times you can watch a BMW go round the track.”

The presenter announced the move at an emotional ending to filming of the third series of The Grand Tour with James May and Richard Hammond.

He later told The Sun: “It’s a really sad day. I will miss the banter with each other and with the audience.

17 Jeremy, James and Richard started with Top Gear in 2002 Credit: BBC

“But we’ve been doing that show for effectively 17 years — sitting around in studios, watching cars race around the track.

“There are only so many times you can watch a BMW go round the track — what more can you say? It’s got four wheels and a seat.

“We all agreed that we’ve been doing it a long time and everything eventually runs its course.

“Besides, I’m 58 and I’m too fat to be climbing on to the stage.”

17 The shows have seen the petrol-heads test their need for speed in a variety of vehicles- even a Hovervan Credit: BBC

Jeremy fronted 22 series of Top Gear for the BBC before switching to Amazon in 2015 with sidekicks Richard, 48, and James, 55, for their big- budget The Grand Tour.

But as filming wrapped on the third series, Jeremy told the audience it would be their last studio show.

Insiders say the hosts’ families wept in the audience as Jeremy declared: “It’s the end of an era.”

One audience member said the mood was emotionally charged in the tent studio in Chipping Norton, Oxon.

17 They've travelled the world for their special episodes where they've challenged each other to complete bizarre tasks Credit: BBC

The fan added: “They ran through the show as normal, but I noticed that Clarkson and Hammond had their families in the audience.

“Clarkson’s girlfriend and two daughters were there, plus Hammond’s wife and daughters.

“When they got to the end of the show, I noticed that most of the family members were in tears.

Everyone wondered what was going on. Then Clarkson stood up and a sort of hush fell over the audience.

17 There were times when the boys got into trouble on their comedic shows Credit: BBC

“He announced that this would be their last studio show after years together. There was a bit of banter, but they all seemed quite emotional.

“As he was speaking, Jeremy started to well up and then they showed a montage of their best bits, going right back to their Top Gear days.

“When that was done, the show ended silently and then Jeremy said, ‘It’s a sad day’, and they all left.

“Everyone in there was a diehard fan, and everyone was shocked by Jeremy’s announcement.”

Richard Hammond in life-threatening crash when jet-powered car spins out at 288mph on Top Gear

17 Over the 17 years Jeremy, James and Richard have drawn in a huge car-loving fan base Credit: BBC

The third series of the show — due to be screened on Amazon Prime next month — will be the last in its current format. But it will not mean the end of one of the most successful line-ups on TV.

The trio have signed a new two-year deal with Amazon for at least four specials a year. The programmes, reminiscent of their Top Gear jaunts to places such as Vietnam and Botswana, will be filmed around the world.

Jeremy said the three petrolheads would like to take in places they had yet to visit including North Korea and Zimbabwe.

He added: “They will be big exciting shows — proper event TV.” Jeremy said: “We’re not doing the big studios shows anymore. But we all love travelling and still enjoy each other’s company after all these years.

17 The trio have signed a new two-year deal with Amazon for at least four specials a year Credit: BBC

“You get to the point where it’s the specials when we’re out on the road in far flung places that we like doing the most.

“We did five in season three across the world in places like Mongolia and the US where we didn’t have the studio tent.

“Amazon like them and they’ve done research that shows the audience like them, too.”

Asked if they would have the same financial backing as the up to £4million an episode spent on The Grand Tour series, he replied: “Put it this way, Marvel will be jealous of our budgets.”

17 Things didn't always go to plan on the show to the delight of the viewers Credit: BBC

Long-time producer and Jeremy’s old school pal Andy Willman has also signed for the new shows.

It will also allow the three stars to develop solo projects but Jeremy said he had not decided what he would be doing.

“I’m having a break so I’ll let you know when I have an idea,” he added.

“We are all still Amazon boys — that’s the key thing about all this. We love working with them.”

17 The special programmes to be shot for Amazon will feature their adventures across the globe Credit: BBC

The third series of The Grand Tour, which is pre-recorded, will start on January 18. Jeremy and Richard revived Top Gear in 2002 with James joining them a year later.

Over more than 20 series, they turned the show into the BBC’s biggest global brand, worth more than £50million a year and watched in 214 territories.

Its army of fans revelled in its regular features such as Star In a Reasonably Priced Car. But a low-point came in 2006 when Richard suffered brain injuries in a crash in a 300mph dragster.

Clarkson, Hammond and May signed their multimillion-pound deal to move to Amazon Prime in 2015 — and The Grand Tour’s opening scene, costing £2.5million, was the most expensive seen on TV.

Clarkson, Hammond and May's final Top Gear episode

17 Although the trio were sad to wave goodbye to their car shows, Jeremy said their run could only go on for so long Credit: BBC

Shot in the Californian desert and screened in November 2016, it featured 150 cars, 2,000 petrolheads, acrobats, stilt-walkers and six jet planes.

The three presenters sped across the Lucerne Valley in customised red, white and blue Ford Mustangs.

They were followed by £20million worth of cars, including a Bugatti Veyron and Rolls-Royce.

Meanwhile, Top Gear floundered after the trio left. Viewing figures plunged under new host Chris Evans but recovered slightly after he departed, leaving former Friends actor Matt LeBlanc in charge.

17 The Grand Tour’s opening scene, cost £2.5million and was the most expensive seen on TV Credit: BBC

TOYOTAL RECALL: TOP SIX

THERE were plenty of crash, bangs and wallops involving Top Gear hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond over 13 years.

We take a trip down memory lane and look at the most eventful.

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17 KILLING A TOYOTA (2003): Clarkson drove a Toyota Hilux into a tree, into the Bristol Channel and dropped a caravan on it. The Hilux survived Credit: Top Gear Magazine

17 LOTUS VS APACHE (2004): Could a Lotus Exige evade a missile from an Apache chopper? Remarkably, it outran the lock-on system

17 288MPH MIRACLE (2006): Richard Hammond’s was in a coma for two weeks after his Vampire crashed during a land-speed record attempt Credit: BBC

17 FIRST CARS TO NORTH POLE (2007): A special episode followed the team in an attempt to be the first to reach the North Pole in a car Credit: BBC

17 TOP GEAR VS REDNECKS (2007): Locals pelted rocks at Top Gear motors with pro-gay slogans during an American Deep South road trip

Richard Hammond drives through Alabama with 'man-love' slogan on his car as part of iconic challenge

17 THREE WHEELER TO SPACE (2008): The lads tried to blast a Reliant Robin into orbit. The three-wheeler took off safely but later crashed.