Former Top Gear presenter Quentin Willson has died

Sad news, friends. Former Top Gear telly presenter Quentin Willson has sadly passed away. He was 68 years of age.

The motoring journalist had been diagnosed with lung cancer and died on Saturday.

His family called him a “national treasure” and a “true consumer champion”.

“Quentin brought the joy of motoring, from combustion to electric, into our living rooms,” they said in a statement. “The void he left can never be filled. His knowledge was not just learned but lived; a library of experience now beyond our reach.

“Quentin will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all who knew him personally and professionally,” they added.

Former Top Gear presenter James May said: “Quentin Willson gave me proper advice and encouragement during my earliest attempts at TV, back in the late 90s. I’ve never forgotten it. Great bloke.”

Willson worked on Top Gear in the early days, hosting the BBC motoring show between 1991 and 2001, alongside the likes of Jeremy Clarkson, Tiff Needell, William Woollard, Chris Goffey and the late Sue Baker, who sadly passed away in 2022.

Willson also wrote and presented BBC2’s The Car’s The Star, kicked off Channel 5’s Fifth Gear, and later became an active campaigner for fairer fuel prices for motorists – he was the founder of FairFuelUK – as well as campaigning for electric and low emission vehicles.

TopGear.com extends its condolences to Quentin's family and friends.

Photography: Richard Pardon