James May: Difference between revisions

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| caption = May in 20072006

* ''[[James May: Oh Cook|James May: Oh Cook!]]'' (20202020–)

'''James Daniel May''' (born 16 January 1963)<ref>{{cite news|title=My Secret Life: James May, TV presenter, age 45|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/my-secret-life-james-may-tv-presenter-age-45-943442.html|website=The Independent|access-date=16 January 2018|date=27 September 2008}}</ref> is an English television presenter and journalist. He is best known as a co-presenter, alongside [[Jeremy Clarkson]] and [[Richard Hammond]], of the motoring programme ''[[Top Gear (2002 TV series)|Top Gear]]'' alongsidefrom 2003 until 2015 and the television series ''[[JeremyThe ClarksonGrand Tour]]'' andfor [[RichardAmazon HammondPrime Video]] from 20032016 untilto 20152024. He also servedserves as a director of the production company W. Chump & Sons, which has since ceased operating.<ref>{{cite He is a coweb|url=https://find-presenterand-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/09668527/officers|title=W. ofChump the&amp; televisionSons seriesLimited ''[[TheCompany GrandRegister|work=UK Tour]]''Companies forHouse|access-date=2 [[Amazon Prime Video]],July alongside his former ''Top Gear'' colleagues, Clarkson and Hammond.2024}}</ref>

May has presented other programmes on themes including travel, science and& technology, toys, wine culture, and the plight of [[manliness]] in modern times. He wrote a weekly column for ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]''{{'}}s motoring section from 2003 to 2011.

May studied music at [[Pendle College, Lancaster|Pendle College]], [[Lancaster University]], where he learned to play the flute and piano, and also spent a year studying metalwork at a technical college.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/columnists/jamesmay/7893463/Top-Gears-James-May-awarded-honorary-degree.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/columnists/jamesmay/7893463/Top-Gears-James-May-awarded-honorary-degree.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Top Gear's James May awarded honorary degree|date=16 July 2010|access-date=13 February 2019|website=Telegraph.co.uk}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-01-24/james-may-on-chris-evans-amazon-and-life-after-top-gear/|title=James May on Chris Evans, Amazon and life after Top Gear|website=Radio Times|access-date=13 February 2019|archive-date=11 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511184330/https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-01-24/james-may-on-chris-evans-amazon-and-life-after-top-gear/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Crampton">{{cite web |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/i-am-more-liberal-than-people-think-xml2ps3ll |title=James May: 'I am more liberal than people think' |work=The Times |last=Crampton |first=Robert |date=10 June 2017 |access-date=30 July 2021 }}</ref> After graduating, May briefly worked at a hospital in [[Chelsea, London|Chelsea]] as a records officer and had a short stint in [[Civil Service (United Kingdom)|the civil service]] before taking up journalism and broadcasting in his thirties.<ref>{{cite news

In an interview with [[Richard Allinson]] on [[BBC Radio 2]],<ref>BBC Radio 2, broadcast 6 January 2006</ref> May confessed that in 1992 he was dismissed from ''[[Autocar (magazine)|Autocar]]'' magazine after putting together an [[acrostic]] in one issue. At the end of the year, the magazine's "Road Test Yearbook" supplement was published. Each spread featured four reviews and each review started with a large red letter (known in [[typography]] as an [[initial]] or a [[drop cap]]). May's role was to put the entire supplement together.

His past television credits include presenting ''[[Driven (TV series)|Driven]]'' on [[Channel 4]] in 1998, narrating an eight-part [[BBC One]] series called ''Road Rage School'',<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0561982/ James May] Internet Movie Database</ref> and co-hosting the [[ITV1]] coverage of the ''2006 [[London Boat Show]].''<ref name="speakerscorner.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.speakerscorner.co.uk/file/3a6850ee99183a512648ec2d63c165fb/james-may-top-gear-motoring-speaker-awards-host-after-dinner-humorist.html |title=James May, Top Gear presenter, after-dinner speaker and awards host |publisher=Speakers Corner |access-date=5 November 2009}}</ref> He also wrote and presented a Christmas special called ''[[James May's Top Toys]]'' (for BBC One). ''[[James May: My Sisters' Top Toys]]'' attempted to investigate the gender divide of toy appeal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008l2vq |title=Two Programmes – James May: My Sister's Top Toys |publisher=BBC |access-date=5 November 2009}}</ref> In series 3, episode 3<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/159/f-word-season-3-episode-3.jsp |title=Season 3 Episode 3 – Gordon Ramsay's F Word |publisher=BBC America |access-date=8 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717025139/http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/159/f-word-season-3-episode-3.jsp |archive-date=17 July 2010 }}</ref> of [[Gordon Ramsay]]'s ''[[The F Word (British TV series)|The F Word]]'', May managed to beat Ramsay in eating [[bull]] penis and [[Hákarl|rotten shark]] and with his [[fish pie]] recipe.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk/interview-with-gordon-ramsay-on-the-f-word/ |title=Interview with Gordon Ramsay on the 'F' Word @ Unreality Primetime |access-date=9 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091114042822/http://primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk/interview-with-gordon-ramsay-on-the-f-word/ |archive-date=14 November 2009 |df=dmy-all }} "The worst ever would have to be James May, with his fish pie. Even though he won, which was extraordinary. He was drinking a bottle of red wine throughout the challenge, so I thought it was in the bag."</ref><ref>[http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/gordon-ramsay/posh-fish-pie-recipe_p_1.html] "This recipe is Gordon's version of a posh fish pie originally made by James May."</ref>

May was briefly a co-presenter of the original ''[[Top Gear (1977 TV series)|Top Gear]]'' series in 1999,. duringDuring an interview in 2020, Jeremy Clarkson claimed that the show's original producers had decided to replace him with May in 1999, though they felt dissatisfied with May as he was soon fired in 2000, shortly before the entire program was cancelled the following year. Clarkson recalls May's firing in 2000 caused him to retreat into [[alcoholism]] for a brief period of time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hotcars.com/heres-how-james-may-rose-to-become-a-motoring-icon-/|title=Here's How James May Rose To Petrolhead Royalty|date=26 July 2021 }}</ref> Following the first season of the show's relaunch in 2002, Clarkson managed to convince Andrew Wilman to rehire him to replace Jason Dawe.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xDld_bGuZk|title=Jeremy Clarkson on the first time he met Richard Hammond and James May|website=[[YouTube]] }}</ref> He first co-presented the revived series of ''Top Gear'' in its second series in 2003,<ref>{{cite news|title=Top Gear's James May Shifts His Career Into Overdrive|url=http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2010/03/17/gears-james-takes-career-overdrive/|publisher=Fox News|date=17 March 2010|access-date=5 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412215827/http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2010/03/17/gears-james-takes-career-overdrive/|archive-date=12 April 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> where he earned the nickname "Captain Slow" owing to his careful driving style, and his [[OCD]]-like obsessions with order.<ref name="theage"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNyidq8iWD4|title=Top Gear - Tampons and James May's OCD|website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> Despite this sobriquet, he has done some especially high-speed driving – in [[Top Gear (series 9)|the 2007 series]], he took a [[Bugatti Veyron]] to its top speed of {{convert|253|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, then [[Top Gear (series 15)|in 2010]] he achieved {{convert|259.11|mph|km/h|abbr=on|0}} in the Veyron's newer 16.4 Super Sport edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.topgear.com/uk/photos/james-may-bugatti-veyron-supersport?imageNo=12 |title=James in the Bugatti Veyron SuperSport |work=Top Gear |access-date=26 November 2011}}</ref> In an earlier episode he also tested the original version of the Bugatti Veyron against the [[Pagani Zonda F]].

May presented ''Inside Killer Sharks'', a documentary for [[British Sky Broadcasting|Sky]], and ''[[James May's 20th Century]]'', investigating inventions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.open2.net/20thcentury/index.html |title=BBC/OU Open2.net – James May's 20th Century |publisher=Open2.net |access-date=5 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091121042551/http://www.open2.net/20thcentury/index.html |archive-date=21 November 2009 }}</ref> He flew in a [[Royal Air Force]] [[Eurofighter Typhoon]] at a speed of around 1320&nbsp;mph (2124&nbsp;km/h) for his television programme, ''James May's 20th Century''. In late 2008, the BBC broadcast ''[[James May's Big Ideas]]'', a three-part series in which May travelled around the globe in search of implementations for concepts widely considered science fiction.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.open2.net/jamesmay/ |title=BBC/OU Open2.net – James May's Big Ideas |publisher=Open2.net |access-date=5 November 2009}}</ref> He has also presented a series called ''[[James May's Man Lab]]'' from 2010–2013. In 2013, May narrated ''To Space & Back'', a documentary on the influence of developments in space exploration on modern technology produced by Sky-Skan and [[The Franklin Institute]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fulldomeshows.com/tospaceandback/index.html |title=To Space & Back with James May |website=fulldomeshows.com |access-date=11 March 2015 |archive-date=28 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428142553/http://www.fulldomeshows.com/tospaceandback/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Beginning in October 2009, May presented a 6six-part TV series showing favourite toys of the past era and whether they can be applied in the modern-day. The toys featured were [[Airfix]], [[Plasticine]], [[Meccano]], [[Scalextric]], [[Lego]] and [[Hornby Railways|Hornby]]. In each show, May attempts to take each toy to its limits, also fulfilling several of his boyhood dreams in the process. In August 2009, May built a full-sized house out of Lego at [[Denbies Wine Estate]] in Surrey.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/8179678.stm |title=UK &#124; May starts building Lego house |work=BBC News |date=1 August 2009 |access-date=5 November 2009}}</ref> Plans for Legoland to move it to their theme park fell through in September 2009 because costs to deconstruct, move and then rebuild were too high;<ref>''Radio Times'' 24–30 October 2009</ref> and despite a final Facebook appeal for someone to take it, it was demolished on 22 September, with the plastic bricks planned to be donated to charity.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8269479.stm |title=Entertainment &#124; James May's Lego house demolished |work=BBC News |date=22 September 2009 |access-date=5 November 2009}}</ref>

Also for the series, he recreated the banked track at [[Brooklands]] using Scalextric track,<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/8187656.stm May to attempt Scalextric record], BBC News, 7 August 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2009</ref> and an attempt at the world's longest working model railway along the [[Tarka Trail]] between [[Barnstaple]] and [[Bideford]] in North Devon, although the attempt was foiled due to parts of the track being stolen and vandals placing coins on the track, causing a short circuit.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8219567.stm|title=Model train record bid off track|date=25 August 2009|work=[[BBC Online]]|access-date=29 December 2013}}</ref> Later, in 2011, May tried for the record again, proposing a race between German model railroad enthusiasts and their British counterparts. The two teams would start at opposite ends along double tracked mainline. This time, the effort succeeded with both teams successfully running three trains the entire route.<ref name="BBC_GTR">{{cite web|title=The Great Train Race |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0120z75 |work=(Programme listing) |publisher=BBC |access-date=7 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610074740/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0120z75 |archive-date=10 June 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In December 2012 aired aA special Christmas Episode called ''Flight Club'', whereaired in December 2012. In this special, James and his team built a huge toy glider that flew 22 miles (35&nbsp;km) from Devon to the island of [[Lundy]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pmbmx |title=BBC Two James May's Toy Stories: Flight Club |publisher=BBC |access-date=25 January 2013}}</ref>

In 2013, May created a life-size, fully functional motorcycle and sidecar made entirely out of the construction toy [[Meccano]]. Joined by [[Oz Clarke]], he then completed a full lap of the [[Isle of Man TT Mountain Course|Isle of Man TT Course]], a full {{fraction|37|3|4}} mile-long circuit.

A second series, ''James May: Our Man in Italy'', is a travel documentary with May on a journey throughout the regions of Italy from Palermo to the Dolomites on a trip exploring the culture, food, and more.<ref name="amazonstudios">{{cite web |title=James May: Our Man in Italy |url=https://press.amazonstudios.com/us/en/original-series/james-may-our-man-in/2 |publisher=Amazon Studios |access-date=18 August 2022}}</ref>

May created his own YouTube channel, titled "JM's Unemployment Tube", in 2015 after ''Top Gear'' was postponed by the BBC following Jeremy Clarkson's dismissal. Mainly featuring cooking videos filmed from his kitchen, as well as mock builds of Airfix models, the channel has over 230,000 subscribers as of March 2021. His most recent video was posted on this channel on the 20 February 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/top-gear/11501377/Top-Gear-presenter-James-May-posts-first-video-on-unemployment-YouTube-channel.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/top-gear/11501377/Top-Gear-presenter-James-May-posts-first-video-on-unemployment-YouTube-channel.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Top Gear presenter James May posts first video on 'unemployment' YouTube channel|date=|work=[[The Independent]]|access-date=18 April 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

May lives in [[Hammersmith]], [[west London (sub region)|West London]], with art critic Sarah Frater, with whom he has been in a relationship since 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://transmission.blogs.topgear.com/2011/01/23/video-behind-the-scenes-at-the-first-of-the-new-series/ |title=Transmission – BBC Top Gear Video: behind-the-scenes at the first of the new series « |publisher=Transmission.blogs.topgear.com |date=23 January 2011 |access-date=26 November 2011}}</ref> In July 2010, May was awarded an honorary doctorate by [[Lancaster University]], where he had previously studied music.<ref>{{cite news|title=Top Gear presenter James May awarded honorary doctorate|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-10649036|publisher=BBC|access-date=3 August 2015|date=15 July 2010}}</ref> He holds a [[Doctor of Letters]] degree.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/p/james-may-answers-the-internets-WL9EwdwnSg2AnI3L-7VUAw |title=James May answers the internet's questions |date=12 May 2019 |access-date=12 May 2019 |archive-date=12 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512201636/https://drivetribe.com/p/james-may-answers-the-internets-WL9EwdwnSg2AnI3L-7VUAw |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In June 2016, he supported [[Britain Stronger in Europe|Remain]] in the [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|EU referendum]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/16/jeremy-clarkson-david-cameron-my-gut-says-stay-in-the-eu|title=Jeremy Clarkson tells David Cameron 'my gut says stay in the EU'|date=16 June 2016|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=9 December 2017}}</ref> May has described his political leanings as "[[Social liberalism|liberal]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/i-am-more-liberal-than-people-think-xml2ps3ll |title=James May: 'I am more liberal than people think' |work=The Times |lastname="Crampton |first=Robert |date=10 June 2017 |access-date=30 July 2021 }}<"/ref>

In 2020, May bought half the ownership of a pub in [[Swallowcliffe]], [[Wiltshire]] called The Royal Oak,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-wiltshire-54219020|title=James May buys 'half' of Royal Oak in Swallowcliffe|date=19 September 2020|website=BBC News}}</ref> which dates from the early 18th century and is a Grade II listed historic site.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1250756|desc=The Royal Oak, Swallowcliffe|access-date=24 May 2015|fewer-links=yes}}</ref>

May currently owns a 2010 [[Porsche 997#Second phase (2009–2013)|Porsche 911 Carrera S facelift]], a 2016 [[BMW i3]], a 2018 [[Alpine A110 (2017)|Alpine A110]], a 2019 [[Tesla Model S|Tesla Model S 100D]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaIW5CQQ3Zo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/GaIW5CQQ3Zo |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=James May reviews his own cars – Tesla Model S vs Toyota Mirai|website=[[YouTube]]|date=25 December 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> a 2021 [[Toyota Mirai]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v99AthjW78Uo|title=James May properly drives his new car for the first time|website=[[YouTube]]|date=4 July 2021}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YoutubeYouTube linkslink|date=February 2022}}</ref> a 2015 [[Ferrari 458 Speciale]] which he ordered following his exit from ''Top Gear'' and the [[Meyers Manx|VW Beach Buggy]] used in [[The Grand Tour]] Special "The Beach Buggy Boys". He often uses a [[Brompton Bicycle|Brompton folding bicycle]] for commuting.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/2739714/Mines-a-pint-a-preposterous-excuse-for-a-Porsche.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/2739714/Mines-a-pint-a-preposterous-excuse-for-a-Porsche.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Mine's a pint: a preposterous excuse for a Porsche|date=3 February 2006|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=21 March 2009|quote=James May with his Brompton bike | location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He passed his driving test on his second attempt and justified this by saying "All the best people pass the second time".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uktv.co.uk/dave/item/aid/570303 |title=Dave: What's on Dave: James May interview |publisher=Uktv.co.uk |date=29 March 2007 |access-date=5 November 2009}}</ref>

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