• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
James May was 'close to retirement' before confirming he's unlikely to work with Clarkson and Hammond again

Home> Entertainment> Celebrity

Published 13:55 7 May 2024 GMT+1

James May was 'close to retirement' before confirming he's unlikely to work with Clarkson and Hammond again

James May first started working with Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear back in 2003

Anish Vij

Anish Vij

James May says he's been 'close to retirement' and is unlikely to work with Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond again.

The 61-year-old was, of course, a full-time presenter with Top Gear for over 10 years and has continued to be part of the iconic trio since 2016 with Grand Tour.

However, last year he candidly admitted that the Amazon Prime Video show was 'coming to an end'.

"Well, I'm being perfectly honest with you because there's nothing to hide," he said on the Fuelling Around podcast.

"We don't often think more than about a year in advance because let's face it, we're old so you can't.

Advert

"We've got another one about to come out, we've just filmed another one a few weeks ago and we've got another one planned to film later this year.

"What happens after that I don't know, it's a bit of a grey fog, it always is."

In terms of retiring all together, May explained how the death of a close friend was in also in his thinking.

James May says he's been 'close to retirement' and is unlikely to work with Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond again. (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
James May says he's been 'close to retirement' and is unlikely to work with Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond again. (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

"A very close friend of mine died a few weeks ago," he told the Radio Times last year.

Advert

"He retired early, because he’d always had this fear that his family isn’t very long-lived, and he wanted to swap possessions for experiences and knowledge."

"That’s what he started doing, but unfortunately he got cancer and it killed him.

"It was quite interesting thinking about that after he’d gone because it takes a certain amount of courage to say, 'No, I don’t want to telegraph my success and my sophistication.

"I simply want to have a nice life and contemplate the mystery and wonder of God’s creation'."

When asked if he’s considering selling his cars and retiring, he replied: "It’s something I’m quietly contemplating, and I suspect it’s not far off."

Advert

May with Top Gear and Grand Tour co-hosts Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson. (Vito Corleone/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
May with Top Gear and Grand Tour co-hosts Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson. (Vito Corleone/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Now, in a recent interview with UNILAD, May has revealed why he thinks he'll never work with his Grand Tour co-hosts ever again, even on a non-car program.

He said: "I think people would only really like us doing cars, despite what some people say - ‘Oh, I think you should all go off and do cooking or you should all go and do a podcast about nothing’.

“But I don’t think so, I think we should let it lie, what we did.”

On the idea of a reunion, May added: "I'm sure there will be something, but it won't be as big as [The Grand Tour] and I don’t need it to be. I’ve done that."

Featured Image Credit: Dave J Hogan/Vito Corleone/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Topics: Clarkson's Farm, Jeremy Clarkson, Top Gear, James May, Richard Hammond

Anish Vij
Anish Vij

Anish is a Journalist at LADbible Group and is a GG2 Young Journalist of the Year 2025. He has a Master's degree in Multimedia Journalism and a Bachelor's degree in International Business Management. Apart from that, his life revolves around the ‘Four F’s’ - family, friends, football and food. Email: [email protected]

X

@Anish_Vij

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

13 hours ago
14 hours ago
19 hours ago
22 hours ago
  • Jason Mendez/Getty Images
    13 hours ago

    Reason why Dwayne Johnson took real punches to the face in new movie

    Director Benny Safdie explained why The Rock insisted on being punched while filming

    Entertainment
  • Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images
    14 hours ago

    Iconic David Bowie album cover set to become most expensive ever as it's expected to sell for eye-watering amount

    Photographer Brian Duffy's son has revealed the unlikely story behind the iconic album art

    Entertainment
  • BBC
    19 hours ago

    Graham Norton viewers hilariously point out Cillian Murphy’s reaction to Taylor Swift’s engagement ring

    Fans were tickled at the Peaky Blinders star's reaction to the jewellery

    Entertainment
  • BBC
    22 hours ago

    Cillian Murphy reveals 'disgusting' truth behind infamous Tommy Shelby haircut

    There's a reason why they did their hair like that back in the day, and not a nice one

    Entertainment
  • Jeremy Clarkson reveals why he's stopped working with Richard Hammond and James May
  • Clarkson's Farm teases Top Gear reunion after Richard Hammond pictured at Diddly Squat
  • James May reveals what relationship with Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond is like now they’ve stopped working together
  • James May addresses possibility of reuniting with Clarkson and Hammond for new Amazon Prime show