Grand Tour co-host Francis Bourgeois has said filming the upcoming season in a new part of the world has been an “absolute pleasure and a privilege”.

The 26-year-old will present the new series of the Prime Video motoring show alongside social media stars Thomas Holland and James Englesman.

The trio took the reins of the hit programme after its former hosts, Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, left the show.

Speaking on the red carpet at the National Television Awards ceremony, Bourgeois said: “Being able to see a side of the world that we wouldn’t have in any other reality, and also to be driving through it, I think it’s just an absolute pleasure and a privilege.”

He also joked that they stocked up food and hid in a bunker waiting in anticipation at how audiences would receive it.

Francis said: “We took positions in our Cold War bunker. We got our rations. We got our baked bin tins stood up on top of each other and then we checked on the morning of the launch.”

The programme, which premiered last week received three stars out of five from The Guardian, The Times, the FT and The Independent.

Holland added: “I’m quite overwhelmed, to be honest. It seems people are nicer than we thought they were going to be.”