Photo: Ignitedfirestarter / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
James May is genuinely one of my favorite TV personalities, and I think he's massively underrated compared to the louder chaos his co-hosts bring. He spent over a decade on Top Gear alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond, and where those two were constantly crashing and yelling, May was the one quietly building a working hovercraft or delivering an unexpectedly moving piece about a classic car. He's got a music degree from Lancaster University, writes books, and clearly thinks deeply about engineering and craft — this is not a guy who stumbled into car television. The Grand Tour gave him a proper second act on Amazon Prime through 2024, and he never lost that wonderfully unhurried, deadpan quality. I respect anyone who refuses to be rushed by the world around them, and May has made an entire career out of exactly that.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- James May
- Name (Japanese)
- ジェームズ・メイ
- Reading
- じぇーむず・めい
- Born
- January 16, 1963 (age 63)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Rabbit
- Origin
- Bristol, Avon, United Kingdom
- Occupation
- television presenter / journalist / writer / musician / broadcaster
2. Background
- High school
- Oakwood High School
- University
- University of Lancaster
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Top Gear | — | |
| Notable work | The Grand Tour | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was James May born?
Born January 16, 1963 (age 63).
Where is James May from?
James May is from Bristol, Avon, United Kingdom.
What does James May do?
James May works as television presenter, journalist, writer, musician, broadcaster.
What is James May known for?
Notable works include Top Gear, The Grand Tour.
Television presenter — see all → · Journalist — see all → · More people from United Kingdom →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.