James May’s off-screen persona has been revealed by a series of fans, extras, and former colleagues from shows like Top Gear and The Grand Tour.
The presenter fronted the beloved BBC motoring show with Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond from 2002 until 2015 and the trio went on to host The Grand Tour on Prime Video until last year.
People who worked with May on set or met the 62-year-old at fan events have now shared their experiences with him in a Reddit thread.
One user posted: “Has anyone met any of them in person? How did it go? Good/bad experience?”
A fan dished: “I was one of the lucky hundred of extras who filmed the first Grand Tour episode in California!
“James was more interested in the aviation and planes than the people. To be fair there were an overwhelming amount of us. Seemed fitting though lol.”
They added that Clarkson, 65, was a “cheeky dude” who “signed the back of my driver's license and told me not to get pulled over”.
Another fan recalled meeting May at a Top Gear event.
“In 2012 there were something called Top Gear Live that they toured with and got to meet James May, quite a pleasant meet,” they said.
A third posted, “Yup. Worked as an advisor on the Vietnam Special [on the Grand Tour]” and described May and Hammond as “great fun”.
Someone else recounted meeting May at his pub, commenting: “Absolutely awesome, just dumb luck he was there at the same time as me. He signed a bottle of his gin for me too. Legend.”
One fan met May and Clarkson at a Top Gear Live event and said they seemed “incredible thankful for the support they had received”.
The Grand Tour ended last summer after six series with its special final episode, One For The Road.
May later said it was time for a “new generation” to helm the show.
"We’d exhausted the subject, we are getting on a bit. I believe it’s time for a new generation to find a new take - I don’t know what it is,” he said on Sunday Brunch in February,
When asked by host Simon Rimmer if the decision felt right, he said: "Yes, I think so. You can’t overstay your welcome. You’re supposed to leave the audience wanting more. It’s the rule of show business."
The trio are keeping busy with their separate pursuits, with Clarkson presenting Prime Video’s Clarkson’s Farm, Hammond helming his car restoration show, Richard Hammond’s Workshop, and May appearing in James May and the Dull Men on Discovery+.
