May On Motors

James May

James first appeared on Top Gear under the old format and became a permanent co-host in the second season of the revamped show. When James was first introduced, Jeremy Clarkson claimed he was "clearly a blithering idiot," because at the time James drove a Bentley T2. Not too much has changed since then as James continues to have love/hate relationships with Jeremy and other co-presenters Richard Hammond and Stig.

He has his pilot's license and has been known to tickle the ivories, both of which have come in handy when filming: watch James flying a caravan blimp and hear his Scirocco ad jingle. James once admitted he was fired from a well-known magazine for putting a secret message in a supplement—it's exactly that kind of fooling around that makes him perfect for the U.K.'s favorite motoring show.

In addition to hosting Top Gear, James has kept busy on television by presenting various shows including Jame May's 20th Century, James May's Big Ideas, James May on the Moon and James May at the Edge of Space. He's also authored several books with a range of topics about cars, history, alcohol and toys.