James May
Biography
James Daniel May is an English television presenter, journalist, and writer born on January 16, 1963, in Bristol, England, United Kingdom. He is best known as a co-presenter of the motoring programme Top Gear alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond, where he earned the nickname Captain Slow due to his careful driving style, affection for small and underpowered cars, and tendency to get lost and distracted. In addition to Top Gear, May has presented various other programmes addressing themes such as science and technology, childhood toys, cars, food and drink, and modern manliness. He has also released DVDs and books exploring similar subjects and writes a weekly column for the motoring section of The Daily Telegraph.
Career overview
James Daniel May is an English television presenter, journalist, and writer who was born on January 16, 1963, in Bristol, England, United Kingdom. He has a total of 95 known credits in the acting category on the database.
May is best known as the co-presenter of the motoring programme Top Gear alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond. On the programme, he earned the nickname Captain Slow, which was given to him due to his careful driving style, a love of small and underpowered cars, and a habit of getting lost and distracted.
In addition to his work on Top Gear, May has presented a variety of other programmes covering themes such as science and technology, childhood toys, cars, food and drink, and the plight of manliness in modern times. Alongside his television work, he has released a variety of DVDs and books featuring similar themes and writes a weekly column for the motoring section of The Daily Telegraph.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- The Grand-ish Tour (2026) as Self
- The Not Very Grand Tour (2025) as Self
- James May's Shed Load of Ideas (2025)
- James May's Great Explorers (2025) as James May
- Joan Rivers at the BBC (2024) as Self (archive footage)
- Perfect Pub Walks (2024) as Self
- James May and the Dull Men (2024) as Self - Host
- Top Gear: A Tribute to Sabine Schmitz (2021) as Self
- James May: Our Man in… (2020) as Self
- James May: Our Man in… (2020) Creator
- James May: Oh Cook! (2020) as Self
- Al Murray's Great British Pub Quiz (2019) as Team Captain
- James May's Big Trouble in Model Britain (2019) as Self - Presenter
- James May's Big Trouble in Model Britain (2019) Presenter
- James May's Big Trouble in Model Britain (2019) Writer
- Top Gear - Planes, Trains and Automobiles (2019)
- Top Gear: Winter Blunderland (2018)
- Top Gear: The Best of the Specials (2017) as James May
- The Grand Tour (2016) as Self - Host
- The Grand Tour (2016) Creator
- James May's Build a Car in 24 Hours (2016) as Host
- Top Gear: The Races (2016) as Self
- James May: The Reassembler (2016) as Presenter
- Top Gear: The Big Send Off Special (2015)
- Top Gear: From A-Z (2015) as Self (archive footage)
- Top Gear From A-Z (2015) as Self
- Top Gear: Ambitious But Rubbish (2015)
- Top Gear: Greatest Hits (2015) as Himself
- Top Gear: Australian Road Trip (2015) as Himself
- Top Gear: Australian Road Trip (2015) Writer
- James May: Building Cars Live (2015) Creator
- James May's Cars of the People (2015)
- Top Gear: The Burma Special (2014) as Himself
- Top Gear: Patagonia Special (2014)
- International Buffoons' Vacation (2014)
- James May's Cars of the People (2014) as Self - Presenter
- Top Gear: The Great African Adventure (2013) as Himself
- Top Gear Festival: Sydney (2013) as Self - Presenter
- Top Gear: The Great Adventures 5 (2012) as Himself
- Top Gear: Supercars Across Italy (2012) as Himself
- Top Gear: The Challenges 6 (2012)
- Dara O Briain's Science Club (2012) as Himself
- Top Gear: The Worst Car In the History of the World (2012) as Self
- Top Gear: Top Fails (2012) as Self
- Top Gear: The Challenges 5 (2011) as Himself
- A Night with the Stars (2011) as Self
- Top Gear's Top 40 (2011) as James May
- Top Gear's Top 40 (2011) Creator
- Top Gear: The Great Adventures 4 (2011) as Himself
- Top Gear: At the Movies (2011) as Himself
- Top Gear: Cars with Soul (2011) as Himself
- Top Gear: The U.S. Special (2011) as Himself
- A Night with the Stars (2011) as Participant
- James May's Things You Need To Know (2011) as Himself - Presenter
- The Interceptors (2011) as James Steed
- Top Gear: Romania Special (2010) as Himself
- Top Gear: The Great Adventures 3 (2010)
- James May's Man Lab (2010)
- James May's Man Lab (2010) Presenter
- James May's Man Lab (2010) Writer
- Top Gear: Apocalypse (2010) as Self
- Top Gear: The Challenges 4 (2010)
- James May's Toy Stories (2009) as Himself - Host
- Oz & James Drink to Britain (2009) as Himself - Presenter
- James May at the Edge of Space (2009) as Himself
- James May on the Moon (2009) as Himself - Presenter
- James May's Toy Stories - Airfix (2009) as Self - Presenter
- Top Gear: The Challenges 3 (2009)
- Oz and James Drink to Britain (2009)
- Top Ground Gear Force (2008)
- Top Gear - Planes, Rockets & Automobiles (2008) as Presenter
- Top Gear: The Great Adventures 2 (2008) as Self
- James May's Big Ideas (2008) as Self - Presenter
- Top Gear: The Challenges 2 (2008) as Himself
- Top Gear: The Great Adventures Vol. 1 (2008)
- The Graham Norton Show (2007) as Self
- Top Gear: Polar Special (2007) as himself
- Top Gear: Botswana Special (2007) as Himself
- Top Gear of the Pops (2007) as Self
- James May: My Sisters' Top Toys (2007) as Himself - Presenter
- Top Gear: US Special (2007) as Self
- Top Gear: The Challenges (2007) as Himself
- James May's 20th Century (2007) as Himself - Presenter
- Top Gear - Best of the Challenges (2007)
- The One Show (2006) as Self
- Oz and James's Big Wine Adventure (2006)
- Oz & James's Big Wine Adventure (2006)
- Top Gear: Winter Olympics Special (2006) as Himself
- Top Gear: The Races (2006) as Himself
- Petrolheads (2006)
- Top Gear: Supercars (2006) as Presenter
- The F Word (2005)
- James May's Top Toys (2005) as Himself - Presenter
- James May's Top Toys (2005) Writer
- Top Gear: Revved Up (2005) as Himself
- Top Gear's Stars in Fast Cars (2004)
- Top Gear (2002) as Self - Host
- Driven (1998) as Self - Host
- Shooting Stars (1993) as Self
- Have I Got News for You (1990) as Self
- This Morning (1988) as Self
- Top of the Pops (1964) as Self - Host
- Have I Got a Bit More News for You as Self - Panellist