96-539: Former employers: James Daniel May (born 16 January 1963) 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 from 2003 until 2015 and the television series The Grand Tour for Amazon Prime Video from 2016 to 2024. He also served as a director of the production company W. Chump & Sons. May has presented other programmes on themes including travel, science & technology, toys, wine culture, and
192-418: A Ferrari 308 GTB , a 2015 Toyota Mirai , a 2021 Toyota Mirai , Ferrari F430 , Ferrari 458 Italia , 1984 Porsche 911 Turbo , a 2019 Tesla Model S 100D , a 2016 BMW i3 , and a 2005 Porsche Boxster S (which he claims is the first car he has ever purchased new). May currently owns a 2010 Porsche 911 Carrera S facelift , a 2018 Alpine A110 , a Fiat Panda , a Volkswagen Polo , a Tesla Model 3 Highland ,
288-613: A Range Rover , a Lotus Exige evading missile lock from an Apache attack helicopter, a platoon of Irish Guardsmen shooting at a Porsche Boxster and Mercedes-Benz SLK , or using a Ford Fiesta as a Royal Marine landing craft. In October 2005, Clarkson visited British troops in Baghdad . In 2003, Clarkson presented The Victoria Cross: For Valour , looking at recipients of the Victoria Cross , in particular focusing on his father-in-law, Robert Henry Cain , who received
384-663: A VC for actions during the Battle of Arnhem in the Second World War . In 2007, Clarkson wrote and presented Jeremy Clarkson: Greatest Raid of All Time , a documentary about Operation Chariot in the Second World War, a 1942 Commando raid on the docks of Saint-Nazaire in occupied France. At the end of 2007, Clarkson became a patron of Help for Heroes , a charity aiming to raise money to provide better facilities to wounded British servicemen . His effort led to
480-490: A "skillful propagandist for the motoring lobby" by The Economist . With a forthright and sometimes deadpan delivery, Clarkson is said to thrive on the notoriety his public comments bring, and has risen to the level of the bête noire of the various groups who disagree with his views. On the Channel 4 -organised viewer poll, for the 100 Worst Britons We Love to Hate programme, Clarkson polled in 66th place. By 2005, Clarkson
576-433: A March 2023 column for The Times , Clarkson criticised the response to JK Rowling 's comments on transgender issues, writing "she wasn't just cancelled . She was erased. They put her in the delete bin and then afterwards, all her former fans and even the actors and actresses she'd made famous emptied the bin into a landfill site." However, in the same article, Clarkson also argued that the existence of transgender people
672-409: A US-like " United States of Europe ", with one army, one currency, and one unifying set of values. In 2019, Clarkson said: "Europe has to punish us—they can't allow us to leave without being damaged because then everyone will want to go. We don't want to go if we're going to be damaged." In a January 2019 interview with LBC , Clarkson called Brexit voters "coffin-dodging idiots", though also criticised
768-437: A brick wall while making the 12th series of Top Gear in 2008. In 2014, he received a £4.8 million dividend and an £8.4 million share buyout from BBC Worldwide , bringing his estimated income for the year to more than £14 million. On 30 July 2015, it was announced that Clarkson, along with former Top Gear hosts Richard Hammond and James May would present a new show on Amazon Prime Video . The first season
864-493: A gender that doesn't even exist, and I know too that there is some kind of civil war going on between fiercely women women and women who just say they're women. This creates a noise that's annoying to most of us, but think how infuriating it must be to those who really were born in the wrong body?" Since 2024, Clarkson has been extremely critical of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Labour Party . Clarkson attended
960-584: A hollow victory really, because I've got to go for the rest of my life knowing that I'll never own that car. I'll never experience that power again." Vehicles Clarkson has owned: Clarkson wanted to purchase the Ford GT after admiring its inspiration, the Ford GT40 race cars of the 1960s. Clarkson was able to secure a place on the shortlist for the few cars that would be imported to Britain to official customers, only through knowing Ford's head of PR through
1056-527: A market trader, he was persuaded to appear on their fashion makeover show What Not to Wear to avoid being considered for their all-time worst dressed winner award. Their attempts at restyling Clarkson were rebuffed, and Clarkson stated he would rather eat his own hair than appear on the show again. For an episode of the first series of the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? broadcast in November 2004, Clarkson
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#17327804245001152-957: A motoring columnist: "I started small, on the Shropshire Star with little Peugeots and Fiats and worked my way up to Ford Granadas and Rovers until, after about seven years, I was allowed to drive an Aston Martin Lagonda ... It was 10 years before I drove my first Lamborghini ." In 1984, Clarkson formed the Motoring Press Agency (MPA), in which, with fellow motoring journalist Jonathan Gill, he conducted road tests for local newspapers and automotive magazines. This developed into articles for publications such as Performance Car . He has regularly written for Top Gear magazine since its launch in 1993. In 1987, Clarkson wrote for Amstrad Computer User and compiled Amstrad CPC game reviews. Clarkson writes regular columns in
1248-425: A new line-up of presenters. May presented Inside Killer Sharks , a documentary for Sky , and James May's 20th Century , investigating inventions. He flew in a Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon at a speed of around 1320 mph (2124 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
1344-702: A number of occasions for his views, including at his honorary degree ceremony at Oxford Brookes University , where a protester threw a banana meringue pie in his face in 2006, and in 2009 when activist group Climate Rush dumped horse manure on his lawn. Clarkson's comments on Greta Thunberg were criticised by his own daughter. Whilst Clarkson states such views as described above in his columns and in public appearances, his public persona does not necessarily represent his personal views, as he acknowledged whilst interviewing Alastair Campbell on Top Gear , saying "I don't believe what I write, any more than you [Campbell] believe what you say". Clarkson has been described as
1440-543: A part-time job as a moulder at the foundry his father was employed at and suggested in a 2017 interview with The Times that this formed his interest in mechanics. During the early 1980s, May worked as a sub-editor for The Engineer and later Autocar magazine, from which he was dismissed for performing a prank. He has since written for several publications, including the regular column England Made Me in Car Magazine , articles for Top Gear magazine, and
1536-576: A permit to do everything except for purchasing weapons. In 2017, in response to the United States officially recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel , Clarkson advised Palestinians to recognise London as the capital of the United States. In 2020, Clarkson stated that he usually votes for the Conservative Party , claiming not to be a natural Tory but "it just happens to be that every time it comes around and you weigh up which
1632-564: A positive reception and became a popular show on Amazon Prime upon its release. In May 2024, the ' Clarkson's clause ' amendment, named after Clarkson, was introduced which made it easier to convert unused agricultural buildings to commercial usage, something he did in Season 2 of the show when planning permission for his restaurant was denied. Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson was born on 11 April 1960 in Tickhill , West Riding of Yorkshire . He
1728-461: A previous job. After waiting years and facing an increased price, he found many technical problems with the car. After "the most miserable month's motoring possible", he returned it to Ford for a full refund. After a short period, including asking Top Gear fans for advice over the Internet, he bought back his GT. He called it "the most unreliable car ever made", because he was never able to complete
1824-549: A prototype 1989 Rover Mini Cooper RSP, "a couple of Land Rovers", a Triumph Stag , a 2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale which he ordered following his exit from Top Gear and the VW Beach Buggy used in The Grand Tour Special "The Beach Buggy Boys". He often uses a Brompton folding bicycle for commuting. He passed his driving test on his second attempt and justified this by saying "All the best people pass
1920-445: A public reaction. His actions, both privately and as a Top Gear presenter, have also sometimes resulted in criticism from the media, politicians, pressure groups , and the public. He also has a significant public following, being credited as a major factor in the resurgence of Top Gear as one of the most popular shows on the BBC. Since 2019 he has become a farmer at Diddly Squat Farm for his show, Clarkson's Farm . The show received
2016-492: 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. A special Christmas Episode called Flight Club , aired in December 2012. In this special, James and his team built a huge toy glider that flew 22 miles (35 km) from Devon to
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#17327804245002112-587: A relationship since 2000. In July 2010, May was awarded an honorary doctorate by Lancaster University , where he had previously studied music. He holds a Doctor of Letters degree. In August 2014, May was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian expressing their hope that Scotland would vote against independence from the United Kingdom in September's referendum on that issue . In June 2016, he supported Remain in
2208-694: A restructuring that gave BBC Worldwide full control of the Top Gear rights. Clarkson presented the first series of the UK version of Robot Wars . In an on-set accident, a robot's weapon flew off and became lodged in the wall inches from Clarkson. His talk show, Clarkson , comprised 27 half-hour episodes aired in the United Kingdom between November 1998 and December 2000, and featured guest interviews with musicians, politicians and television personalities. Clarkson went on to present documentaries focused on non-motoring themes such as history and engineering, although
2304-637: A return journey with it. In 2006, Clarkson ordered a Gallardo Spyder and sold the Ford GT to make way for it. In August 2008, he sold the Gallardo because "idiots in Peugeots kept trying to race [him] in it". In October, he announced that he had sold his Volvo XC90. In January 2009, in a review of the car printed in The Times , he wrote: "I've just bought my third Volvo XC90 in a row and the simple fact
2400-569: A small, bedsit -like kitchen setup called "The Bug-out Bunker". The channel has since been rebranded as "What Next?" May became an Internet meme when one of his Foodtribe videos went viral. In it, while preparing to make two cheese sandwiches, May bluntly uttered the word "cheese" after placing a block of Red Leicester on a table. The quote went viral, and was used in various memes and image macros. May lives in Hammersmith , West London , with art critic Sarah Frater, with whom he has been in
2496-429: A tribute to Raymond Baxter . Notes From The Hard Shoulder and James May's 20th Century , a book to accompany the television series of the same name, were published in 2007. In an interview with Richard Allinson on BBC Radio 2 , May confessed that in 1992 he was dismissed from Autocar magazine after putting together an acrostic in one issue. At the end of the year, the magazine's "Road Test Yearbook" supplement
2592-624: A tweet proposing that he might stand for election as an independent candidate in Doncaster North , the constituency of the then Labour leader of the opposition, Ed Miliband , was retweeted over 1,000 times – including by John Prescott. Clarkson has been critical of the Special Relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom. He referred to the US as the "United States of Total Paranoia", commenting that one needs
2688-533: A weekly column in The Daily Telegraph . He has written the book May on Motors (2006), which is a collection of his published articles, and co-authored Oz and James's Big Wine Adventure (2006), based on the TV series of the same name. He wrote the afterword to Long Lane with Turnings , published in September 2006, the final book by motoring writer L. J. K. Setright . In the same month, he co-presented
2784-489: Is an English television presenter , journalist, farmer, and author who specialises in motoring . He is best known for hosting the television programmes Top Gear (2002–2015) and The Grand Tour (2016–2024) alongside Richard Hammond and James May . He also currently writes weekly columns for The Sunday Times and The Sun . Clarkson hosts the ITV game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (2018–present), and co-hosts
2880-521: Is another travel documentary with James May on a journey throughout the country of India. In October 2024, May confirmed the series was cancelled. May created Head Squeeze (now renamed "BBC Earth Lab"; May no longer features as a presenter). The channel is a mix of science, technology, history and current affairs. The first video was published in December 2012. Videos are produced by 360 Production for BBC Worldwide . May created his own YouTube channel, titled "JM's Unemployment Tube", in 2015 after Top Gear
2976-536: Is going to provide you with a better life, the better country to live in, then it's usually the Conservatives"; he also mocked the policies of Tony Blair and Jeremy Corbyn , stating "only an idiot would vote for Corbyn". Clarkson is also a personal friend of former Prime Minister, Conservative leader and Foreign Secretary David Cameron . However, he also expressed support of incumbent Labour leader (current UK Prime Minister) Keir Starmer and maintained that he
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3072-564: Is it. They should leave us alone." He has a particular contempt for the Health and Safety Executive . He often criticised the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown , especially what he calls the "ban" culture, frequently fixating on the bans on smoking and 2004 ban on fox hunting . In April 2013, Clarkson was among 2,000 invited guests to the funeral of Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher . In an attempt to prove that
3168-490: Is the son of Shirley Gabrielle Clarkson ( née Ward), a teacher, and Edward Grenville Clarkson, a travelling salesman. His parents, who ran a business selling tea cosies , put their son's name down in advance for private schools, with no idea how they were going to pay the fees. However, shortly before his admission, when he was 13, his parents made two Paddington Bear stuffed toys for Clarkson and his sister Joanna. These proved so popular that they started selling them through
3264-566: The 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum , three days before the referendum, he and fellow presenter/best friend James May posted a video stating their support. Clarkson did not support Brexit , stating that while the European Union has its problems, Britain would not have any influence over the EU, should it leave the Union. He envisions the European Union being turned into
3360-654: The EU referendum . May has described his political leanings as " liberal ". In 2020, May bought half the ownership of a pub in Swallowcliffe , Wiltshire called The Royal Oak, which dates from the early 18th century and is a Grade II listed historic site. May has owned many cars. These include a 2005 Saab 9-5 Aero , Bentley T2 , Rolls-Royce Phantom , Triumph 2000 , Rover P6 , Alfa Romeo 164 , 1971 Rolls-Royce Corniche , Triumph Vitesse , Jaguar XJS , 1992 Range Rover Classic Vogue, Datsun 120Y , Vauxhall Cavalier Mk1 ,
3456-608: The England farmers' protests in London where he called tax hikes a "hammer blow to the back of the head" of British agriculture. Clarkson later labelled Starmer "a nightmare for farmers". Starmer is banned from Clarkson's pub , The Farmer's Dog, near Burford . Clarkson is critical of the green movement and environmentalism , including groups such as Greenpeace —he has called them "eco-mentalists" and "old trade unionists and CND lesbians". He also said that, although he "hate[s]
3552-694: The Industrial Revolution . He cites the lack of any source of alternative power for cars, other than by "small explosions". In Great Britons , as part of a public poll to find the greatest historical Briton, Clarkson was the chief supporter for Isambard Kingdom Brunel , a prominent engineer during the Industrial Revolution credited with numerous innovations. Despite this, he also has a passion for many modern examples of engineering. In Speed and Extreme Machines , Clarkson rides and showcases numerous vehicles and machinery. Clarkson
3648-471: The Mekong River and Tonlé Sap was "genuinely alarming", but still expressed doubt that it was driven by human activity. Cambodia was undergoing a severe drought during the show's filming. Clarkson is against climate activism , and has often made personal attacks against teenage activist Greta Thunberg , whom he has called "a spoilt brat". Environmentalists have protested or heckled Clarkson on
3744-741: The National Television Awards Special Recognition Award in 2007, and reportedly earned £1 million that same year for his role as a Top Gear presenter, and a further £1.7 million from books, DVDs and newspaper columns. Clarkson and co-presenter James May were the first people to reach the North Magnetic Pole in a car also in 2007, chronicled in Top Gear: Polar Special . He sustained minor injuries to his legs, back and hand in an intentional collision with
3840-511: The death of Queen Elizabeth II , Clarkson shared a statement written by Boris Johnson on Twitter and captioned it "I was trying to think of something to say but Boris Johnson has said it all" and referred to the Queen as a "magnificent monarch". In January 2023, Clarkson argued a left-wing "coup" had silently taken place in British politics, media and culture, writing "We laugh as they change
3936-503: The effects of climate change are "a bad thing", saying in 2005 "let's just stop and think for a moment what the consequences might be. Switzerland loses its skiing resorts? The beach in Miami is washed away? North Carolina gets knocked over by a hurricane? Anything bothering you yet?" However, during a 2019 trip to Cambodia while filming The Grand Tour , Clarkson acknowledged the "graphic demonstration" of climate change impacts on
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4032-496: The magnetic North Pole in 2007, using a modified Toyota Hilux . In the words of Clarkson, he was the first person to go there "who didn't want to be there". He also drove a modified Toyota Hilux up the side of the erupting volcano Eyjafjallajökull . Following the BBC's decision not to renew Jeremy Clarkson 's contract with the show on 25 March 2015, May stated in April 2015 that he would not continue to present Top Gear as part of
4128-416: The most regularly used guest hosts on the show. Clarkson has appeared as a panellist on the political current affairs television show Question Time twice since 2000. On 2 October 2015, he presented Have I Got News for You again for the first time since his dismissal. Clarkson received a BAFTA nomination for Best Entertainment Performance in 2006. Jonathan Ross ended up winning the award. He won
4224-648: The tabloid newspaper The Sun , and for the broadsheet newspaper The Sunday Times . His columns in the Times are republished in The Weekend Australian newspaper. He also writes for the "Wheels" section of the Toronto Star . He has written humorous books about cars and several other subjects, with many of his books being collections of articles that he has written for The Sunday Times . Clarkson's first major television role came as one of
4320-542: The 2007 Christmas appeal in The Sunday Times supporting Help for Heroes. Clarkson is passionate about engineering, especially pioneering work. In Inventions That Changed the World Clarkson showcased the invention of the gun, computer, jet engine, telephone and television. He has previously criticised the engineering feats of the 20th century as merely improvements on the truly innovative inventions of
4416-588: The 2007 series , he took a Bugatti Veyron to its top speed of 253 mph (407 km/h), then in 2010 he achieved 259.11 mph (417 km/h) in the Veyron's newer 16.4 Super Sport edition. In an earlier episode he also tested the original version of the Bugatti Veyron against the Pagani Zonda F . May, along with co-presenter Jeremy Clarkson and an Icelandic support crew, travelled by car to
4512-558: The BBC. More often than not they are said with a twinkle in his eye." On his chat show, Clarkson , he caused upset to the Welsh by placing a 3D plastic map of Wales into a microwave oven and switching it on. He later defended this by saying, "I put Wales in there because Scotland wouldn't fit." In 2005, Clarkson received an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from the Oxford Brookes University . His views on
4608-583: The Moon. This was followed by another documentary on BBC Four called James May at the Edge of Space , where May was flown to the stratosphere (70,000 ft) in a US Air Force Lockheed U-2 spy plane. Highlights of the footage from the training for the flight, and the flight itself was used in James May on the Moon , but was shown fully in this programme. This made him one of the highest flying people, along with
4704-543: The bear rights throughout the world, with the family eventually selling to Britain's then leading toystore, Hamleys . The income from this success enabled the Clarksons to be able to pay the fees for Jeremy to attend Hill House School, Doncaster , and later Repton School . Clarkson has stated he was deeply unhappy at Repton School, saying that he had been a " suicidal wreck " there, having experienced extreme bullying . He alleged that: I suffered many terrible things. I
4800-408: The business. Because they were manufacturing and selling the bears without regard to intellectual property rights, upon his becoming aware of the bears Michael Bond took action through his solicitors. Edward Clarkson travelled to London to meet Bond's lawyer. By coincidence, he met Bond in the lift, and the two struck up an immediate rapport. Consequently, Bond awarded the Clarksons the licensing of
4896-597: The country which has intrigued him for a long time. During the trip through major cities like Tokyo and Kyoto , he is accompanied by a cast of different guides and translators. 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. A third series, James May: Our Man in India ,
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#17327804245004992-400: The defunct Longbridge plant in its last days. The BBC often played down his comments as ultimately not having the weight they were ascribed. In 2007, they described Clarkson as "not a man given to considered opinion", and in response to an official complaint another BBC spokeswoman once said: "Jeremy's colourful comments are always entertaining, but they are his own comments and not those of
5088-478: The environment precipitated a small demonstration at the award ceremony for his honorary degree, when Clarkson was pied by road protester Rebecca Lush . Clarkson took this incident in good humour, responding "good shot" and subsequently referring to Lush as "Banana girl". In 2008, an internet petition was posted on the Prime Minister's Number 10 website to "Make Jeremy Clarkson Prime Minister ". By
5184-621: The farming documentary show Clarkson's Farm (2021–present). From a career as a local journalist in northern England , Clarkson rose to public prominence as a presenter of the original format of Top Gear in 1988. Since the mid-1990s, he has become a recognised public personality, regularly appearing on British television presenting his own shows for the BBC and appearing as a guest on other shows. As well as motoring, Clarkson has produced programmes and books on subjects such as history and engineering, and has written numerous books. In 1998, he hosted
5280-481: The fifty most influential figures in the automotive industry. In 2023 and 2024, he was voted "sexiest man" in the UK. Clarkson has a keen interest in the British Armed Forces and several of his DVDs and television shows have featured a military theme, such as flying in military jets or several Clarkson-focused Top Gear spots having a military theme such as Clarkson escaping a Challenger 2 tank in
5376-519: The first series of Robot Wars ; from 1998 to 2000, he also hosted his own talk show, Clarkson . In 2015 the BBC elected not to renew Clarkson's contract after he assaulted a Top Gear producer while filming on location. That year, Clarkson and his Top Gear co-presenters and producer Andy Wilman formed the production company W. Chump & Sons to produce The Grand Tour for Amazon Prime Video . Clarkson's opinionated but humorous tongue-in-cheek writing and presenting style has often provoked
5472-449: The gender divide of toy appeal. In series 3, episode 3 of Gordon Ramsay 's The F Word , May managed to beat Ramsay in eating bull penis and rotten shark and with his fish pie recipe. May was briefly a co-presenter of the original Top Gear series in 1999. During 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
5568-474: The globe in search of implementations for concepts widely considered science fiction. He also presented 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 . James May on the Moon (BBC 2, 2009) commemorated 40 years since man first landed on
5664-527: The island of Lundy . 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 Course , a full 37 + 3 ⁄ 4 mile-long circuit. In late 2006, the BBC broadcast Oz and James's Big Wine Adventure , a series in which May, a committed bitter drinker, travelled around France with wine expert Oz Clarke . A second series
5760-480: The magazine's management called for May to be fired. His past television credits include presenting Driven on Channel 4 in 1998, narrating an eight-part BBC One series called Road Rage School , and co-hosting the ITV1 coverage of the 2006 London Boat Show . 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
5856-425: The message: "So you think it's really good, yeah? You should try making the bloody thing up; it's a real pain in the arse." In a 2019 interview with Carscoops.com, May stated that while the hidden message originally passed through the magazine's pre-printing review processes unnoticed, he was found out when readers began calling in to Autocar 's offices, thinking there might be a prize involved. Upon learning of this,
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#17327804245005952-571: The motoring shows and videos continued. Alongside his stand-alone shows, many mirror the format of his newspaper columns and books, combining his love of driving and motoring journalism, with the examination and expression of his other views on the world, such as in Jeremy Clarkson's Motorworld , Jeremy Clarkson's Car Years and Jeremy Clarkson Meets the Neighbours . After Trinny and Susannah labelled Clarkson's dress sense as that of
6048-435: The movement, [he] loves the destination" of environmentalism and believes that people should quietly strive to be more eco-friendly. He has been dismissive of windfarms and renewable energy and has spoken in support of hydrogen cars . Clarkson rejects the scientific consensus on climate change , believing that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions do not affect the global climate. He has also expressed doubt that
6144-588: The name of the Sir Francis Drake Primary School to something less slavey. We think it's all a big joke. But it isn't. Think about what typically happens in a military operation and then look what the woke left has done here." He finished "At least Arthur Scargill had the decency to get on a soapbox and state his aims in public. This lot don't. They sit at home, hiding in the impenetrable shadow of anonymity, inventing new rules to ensnare anyone and everyone they deem to be unworthy." In
6240-567: The pilot, at that time, after the crew of the International Space Station . Beginning in October 2009, May presented a six-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 . In each show, May attempts to take each toy to its limits, also fulfilling several of his boyhood dreams in
6336-720: The plight of manliness in modern times. He wrote a weekly column for The Daily Telegraph ' s motoring section from 2003 to 2011. James Daniel May was born in Bristol , the son of aluminium factory manager James May and his wife Kathleen. He was one of four children; he has two sisters and a brother. May attended Caerleon Endowed Junior School in Newport . He spent his teenage years in South Yorkshire where he attended Oakwood Comprehensive School in Rotherham and
6432-494: The presenters on the British motoring programme Top Gear , from 27 October 1988, to 3 March 1999, in the programme's earlier format. Jon Bentley , a researcher at Top Gear , helped launch his television career. Clarkson got the job after doing a screen test in which he spent 20 minutes ranting about the awfulness of the Citroen 2CV . Bentley shortly afterwards became the show's producer, and said about hiring Clarkson: He
6528-466: The process. In August 2009, May built a full-sized house out of Lego at Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey. 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; 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. Also for
6624-468: The public furore over the 2007 UK child benefit data scandal was unjustified, he published his own bank account number and sort code, together with instructions on how to find out his address, in The Sun newspaper, expecting nobody to be able to remove money from his account. He later discovered that someone had set up a monthly direct debit for £500 to Diabetes UK . Clarkson supported a Remain vote in
6720-513: The reactions he gets, Clarkson has stated "I enjoy this back and forth, it makes the world go round but it is just opinion." On the opinion that his views are influential enough to topple car companies, he has argued that he has proof that he has had no influence. "When I said that the Ford Orion was the worst car ever it went on to become a best-selling car." Clarkson was ranked 49th on Motor Trend Magazine's Power List for 2011, its list of
6816-417: The second time". May obtained a light aircraft pilot's licence in October 2006, having trained at White Waltham Airfield . He has owned a Luscombe 8A Silvaire , a Cessna A185E Skywagon , and an American Champion 8KCAB Super Decathlon with registration G-OCOK, which serves as a reference to a common phrase attributed to him. Jeremy Clarkson Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson (born 11 April 1960)
6912-530: The series, he recreated the banked track at Brooklands using Scalextric track, 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. Later, in 2011, May tried for the record again, proposing
7008-591: The sitcom Last of the Summer Wine , the mentality within golf clubs , and vegetarians. He has made several appearances on the prime time talk shows Parkinson and Friday Night with Jonathan Ross since 2002. By 2003, his persona was deemed to fit the mould for the series Grumpy Old Men , in which middle-aged men talk about any aspects of modern life which irritate them. Since the topical news panel show Have I Got News for You dismissed regular host Angus Deayton in October 2002, Clarkson has become one of
7104-402: The time it closed, it had attracted 49,446 signatures. An opposing petition posted on the same site set to "Never, Ever Make Jeremy Clarkson Prime Minister" attracted 87 signatures. Clarkson later commented he would be a rubbish Prime Minister as he is always contradicting himself in his columns. In the official response to the petition, Number 10 agreed with Clarkson's comments. In response to
7200-501: The top 100 most "powerful people in the [media] industry", based on cultural, economic and political influence in the UK, Clarkson was listed as a new entrant at 74th. Some critics even attribute Clarkson's actions and views as being influential enough to be responsible for the closure of Rover and the Luton manufacturing plant of Vauxhall . Clarkson's comments about Rover prompted workers to hang an "Anti-Clarkson Campaign" banner outside
7296-419: The victim. As a motoring journalist, he is frequently critical of government initiatives such as the London congestion charge or proposals on road charging . He is also frequently scornful of caravanners and cyclists. He has often singled out John Prescott , the former Transport Minister , and Stephen Joseph, the head of the public transport pressure group Transport 2000 , for ridicule. In September 2013,
7392-488: The younger voters, who overwhelmingly supported Remain, for their voting inactivity. Clarkson's comments have both a large number of supporters and opponents. He often comments on the media-perceived social issues of the day, such as the fear of challenging adolescent youths, which he calls " hoodies ". In 2007, Clarkson was cleared of allegations of assaulting a young person while visiting central Milton Keynes , after Thames Valley Police said that if anything, he had been
7488-476: Was a choirboy at Whiston Parish Church. May studied music at Pendle College , Lancaster University , where he learned to play the flute and piano; he also spent a year studying metalwork at a technical college. After graduating, May briefly worked at a hospital in Chelsea as a records officer and had a short stint in the civil service before taking up journalism and broadcasting in his thirties. He also held
7584-413: Was a passenger on the last BA Concorde flight, on 24 October 2003. Paraphrasing Neil Armstrong , he described the retirement of the fleet as "This is one small step for a man, but one huge leap backwards for mankind". He briefly acquired an English Electric Lightning F1A jet fighter XM172 former RAF Coltishall gate guard, which was installed in the front garden of his country home. The Lightning
7680-437: Was an £850,000 technology demonstrator project built by Volkswagen to become the fastest production car, but a practical road car at the same time. In building such an ambitious machine, Clarkson described the project as "a triumph for lunacy over common sense, a triumph for man over nature and a triumph for Volkswagen over absolutely every other car maker in the world." After winning the race, Clarkson announced that "It's quite
7776-658: Was as a travelling salesman for his parents' business, selling Paddington Bear toys. He later trained as a journalist with the Rotherham Advertiser , before also writing for the Rochdale Observer , Wolverhampton Express and Star , Lincolnshire Life , Shropshire Star and the Associated Kent Newspapers. When writing in 2015 in his final column for Top Gear magazine, he credited the Shropshire Star as his first outlet as
7872-468: Was awarded an honorary degree from Brunel University on 12 September 2003, partly because of his work in popularising engineering, and partly because of his advocacy of Brunel. In his book I Know You Got Soul , he describes many machines that he believes possess a soul . He cited the Concorde crash as his inspiration, feeling a sadness for the demise of the machine as well as the passengers. Clarkson
7968-602: Was broadcast in late 2007, this time with May and Clarke in the Californian wine country, and was followed by a third series in 2009 called Oz and James Drink to Britain . In January 2020, May hosted a travel documentary named James May: Our Man in Japan , the 6-episode series was released on Amazon Prime Video and follows May's journey from the north end of Japan to its south. Over the course of three months, May explores and participate in many activities to truly understand
8064-513: Was expelled from Repton School for "drinking, smoking and generally making a nuisance of himself". He famously left with one C and two U (fail) grades at A level . Clarkson attended Repton alongside future Formula One engineer Adrian Newey and former Top Gear Executive Producer Andy Wilman . He played the role of a preparatory school pupil, Atkinson, in a BBC radio Children's Hour serial adaptation of Anthony Buckeridge 's Jennings novels until his voice broke. Clarkson's first job
8160-503: Was funny. Even my bosses allowed themselves the odd titter. Clarkson then also presented the show's new format from 20 October 2002, to 8 March 2015. Along with co-presenters James May and Richard Hammond , he is credited with turning Top Gear into the most-watched TV show on BBC Two , rebroadcast to over 100 countries around the world. Clarkson's company Bedder 6 , which handled merchandise and international distribution for Top Gear , earned over £149m in revenue in 2012, prior to
8256-513: Was invited to investigate his family history. It included the story of his great-great-great-grandfather, John Kilner (1792–1857), who invented the Kilner jar , a container for preserved fruit. Clarkson's views are often showcased on television shows. In 1997, Clarkson appeared on the light-hearted comedy show Room 101 , in which a guest nominates things they hate in life to be consigned to nothingness. Clarkson dispatched caravans , houseflies ,
8352-410: Was just what I was looking for – an enthusiastic motoring writer who could make cars on telly fun. He was opinionated and irreverent, rather than respectfully po-faced. The fact that he looked and sounded exactly like a twenty-something ex-public schoolboy didn't matter. Nor did the impression there was a hint of school bully about him. I knew he was the man for the job. [...] Clarkson stood out because he
8448-461: Was made available worldwide in 2016. On 11 May 2016, Clarkson confirmed on his Twitter feed that the series would be titled The Grand Tour , and air from a different location each week. On 9 March 2018, it was announced that Clarkson would host a revamped series of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? on ITV . Clarkson is in favour of personal freedom and against government regulation , stating that government should "build park benches and that
8544-437: Was not a new phenomenon, drawling parallels between the arrests of Alan Turing and Lucy Hicks Anderson , and that society could grow to accept trans people in the same way it has homosexuals , but accused teenage transgender rights movements of turning the debate into a culture war . He concluded, "I realise, of course, that the whole trans debate has been hijacked by lunatics who glue themselves to stuff and claim to be from
8640-410: Was perceived by the press to have upset so many people and groups, The Independent put him on trial for various "crimes", declaring him guilty on most counts. Responses to Clarkson's comments are often directed personally, with derogatory comments about residents of Norfolk leading to some residents organising a "We hate Jeremy Clarkson" club. In The Guardian's 2007 'Media 100' list, which lists
8736-475: 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. In 2016, May launched, with his former Top Gear presenters, a social network for motoring fans called DriveTribe . In 2019, May moved on to created videos on a Drivetribe spin-off brand Foodtribe (replacing JM's Unemployment Tube) frequently using
8832-719: Was prepared to vote for Labour "if there's an election tomorrow" citing Boris Johnson 's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic . However, in 2023 he expressed criticism of Starmer's proposed economic and education policies. Ahead of the 2024 general election , Clarkson reversed his previous view on Starmer and stated "I get, of course, that people are fed up with the Tories, but I’d rather vote for my dog than Sir Starmer’s merry bunch of ideological nincompoops" and cited his opposition to Labour's stance on farming. In September 2022, he described socialists as "disgusting people". Following
8928-468: 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. To alleviate the tedium, May wrote each review such that the initials on the first four spreads read "ROAD", "TEST", "YEAR" and "BOOK". Subsequent spreads seemingly had random letters, starting with "SOYO" and "UTHI"; when punctuated, these letters spelt out
9024-566: Was soon fired in 2000, shortly before the entire program was cancelled the following year. Following the first season of the show's relaunch in 2002, Clarkson managed to convince Andrew Wilman to rehire him to replace Jason Dawe . He first co-presented the revived series of Top Gear in its second series in 2003, where he earned the nickname "Captain Slow" owing to his careful driving style, and his OCD -like obsessions with order. Despite this sobriquet, he has done some especially high-speed driving – in
9120-564: Was subsequently removed on the orders of the local council, which "wouldn't believe my claim that it was a leaf blower", according to Clarkson on a Tiscali Motoring webchat. The whole affair was set up for his programme Speed , the Lightning was later returned to Wycombe Air Park . In a Top Gear episode, Clarkson drove the Bugatti Veyron in a race across Europe against a Cessna 182 piloted by co-presenter James May. The Veyron
9216-412: Was thrown on an hourly basis into the ice plunge pool, dragged from my bed in the middle of the night and beaten, made to lick the lavatories clean and all the usual humiliations that... turn a small boy into a gibbering, sobbing, suicidal wreck... they glued my records together, snapped my compass, ate my biscuits, defecated in my tuck box and they cut my trousers in half. According to his own account, he
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