James May

Career Overview

James May has 71 screen credits in a career dating back to 1978. Their work spans 2 cinematic universes — most prominently Top Gear Specials Collection with 12 titles. Signature works include The Grand Tour, Top Gear, James May: Our Man in…. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For

Acting

Gender

male

Known Credits

71

Birth Date

1963-01-16

Birth Place

Bristol - England - UK

Known For

• 

  The Grand Tour
• 

  Top Gear
• 

  James May: Our Man in…
• 

  The Not Very Grand Tour
• 

  James May's Shed Load of Ideas
• 

  James May's Cars of the People

Associated Universes

Universe traveler — spans 2 universes

• Top Gear Specials Collection (12 titles)
• Top Gear: The Perfect Road Trip Collection (1 titles)

Frequent Collaborators

• Richard Hammond (3 collaborations)
• Jeremy Clarkson (2 collaborations)
• Ben Collins (1 collaborations)
• Sim Oakley (1 collaborations)
• Seb Tiley (1 collaborations)

Credits

• actors (66 credits)

  • Have I Got a Bit More News for You

    - Episode 8 (2022) ... Self - Panellist actor actors

    - Episode 8 (2009) ... Self - Panellist actor actors

    - Episode 7 (2007) ... Self - Panellist actor actors
    2026
  • James May's Shed Load of Ideas

    actor

    actors

    - Poopchute (2026) ... actor actors

    - Hot Plate (2026) ... actor actors

    - Noisy Neighbours (2025) ... actor actors

    - Recycling Plastic (2025) ... actor actors

    - Cinema Seat (2025) ... actor actors
    2025
  • The Not Very Grand Tour

    Self

    actor

    actors

    - The Grand-ish Tour: Completely Lost Down Memory Lane ... Self actor actors

    - A Bit Further Down Memory Lane ... Self actor actors

    - The Grand-ish Tour: A Trip Down Memory Lane ... Self actor actors

    - The Glory and the Power (2025) ... Self actor actors
    2025
  • Joan Rivers at the BBC

    Self (archive footage)

    actor

    actors
    2024
  • Top Gear: A Tribute to Sabine Schmitz

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2021
  • Clarkson's Farm

    - Endgaming (2025) ... Self actor actors
    2021
  • James May: Our Man in…

    Self

    actor

    actors

    - Calamari (2024) ... Self actor actors

    - A Bit Like Glasgow (2024) ... Self actor actors

    - John (2024) ... Self actor actors

    - Bye, Bim (2022) ... Self actor actors

    - Hey Pesto (2022) ... Self actor actors
    2020
  • Top Gear - Planes, Trains and Automobiles

    actor

    actors
    2019
  • The Grand Tour: International Buffoons' Vacation

    actor

    actors
    2019
  • Top Gear: Winter Blunderland

    actor

    actors
    2018
  • Top Gear: The Best of the Specials

    James May

    actor

    actors
    2017
  • The Grand Tour

    Self - Host

    actor

    actors

    - One for the Road (2024) ... Self - Host actor actors

    - Sand Job (2024) ... Self - Host actor actors

    - Eurocrash (2023) ... Self - Host actor actors

    - A Scandi Flick (2022) ... Self - Host actor actors

    - Carnage a Trois (2021) ... Self - Host actor actors
    2016
  • Top Gear: From A-Z

    Self (archive footage)

    actor

    actors
    2015
  • James May's Cars of the People

    actor

    actors
    2015
  • Top Gear: The Big Send Off Special

    actor

    actors
    2015
  • Top Gear: Greatest Hits

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2015
  • Top Gear: Australian Road Trip

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2015
  • Top Gear: Patagonia Special

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • Top Gear: The Burma Special

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • To Space & Back

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • Top Gear Festival: Sydney

    Self - Presenter

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • Top Gear: The Great African Adventure

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • Top Gear: The Worst Car In the History of the World

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2012
  • Top Gear: Supercars Across Italy

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2012
  • Top Gear: The Great Adventures 5

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2012
  • Top Gear: The Challenges 6

    actor

    actors
    2012
  • A Night with the Stars

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2011
  • Top Gear: At the Movies

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2011
  • The Interceptors

    James Steed

    actor

    actors
    2011
  • Top Gear: The Challenges 5

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2011
  • Top Gear: The Great Adventures 4

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2011
  • Top Gear - Albania Special

    self

    actor

    actors
    2011
  • Top Gear: Cars with Soul

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2011
  • Top Gear: The U.S. Road Trip

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2011
  • Top Gear: Apocalypse

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2010
  • Top Gear: The Challenges 4

    actor

    actors
    2010
  • Top Gear: The Great Adventures 3

    actor

    actors
    2010
  • Top Gear: Romania Special

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2010
  • James May on the Moon

    Himself - Presenter

    actor

    actors
    2009
  • James May at the Edge of Space

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2009
  • Top Gear: The Challenges 3

    actor

    actors
    2009
  • Top Gear: The Great Adventures 2

    actor

    actors
    2009
  • Top Gear: The Great Adventures 2

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Top Ground Gear Force

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Top Gear: The Great Adventures 1

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Top Gear - Planes, Rockets & Automobiles

    Presenter

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Top Gear: The Challenges 2

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • James May: My Sisters' Top Toys

    Himself - Presenter

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • Top Gear: Botswana Special

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • Top Gear: Polar Special

    himself

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • Top Gear - Best of the Challenges

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • Top Gear of the Pops

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • Top Gear: The Challenges

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • Top Gear: US Special

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • The Graham Norton Show

    - Jake Gyllenhaal, Joan Rivers, Jeremy Clarkson, James May, Ke$ha (2012) ... Self actor actors
    2007
  • Top Gear: The Races

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2006
  • Top Gear: Winter Olympics Special

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2006
  • Top Gear: Supercars

    Presenter

    actor

    actors
    2006
  • The One Show

    - 30/04/2025 (2025) ... Self actor actors
    2006
  • James May's Top Toys

    Himself - Presenter

    actor

    actors
    2005
  • Top Gear: Revved Up

    Himself

    actor

    actors
    2005
  • Top Gear's Stars in Fast Cars

    actor

    actors
    2004
  • Top Gear

    - Episode 8 (2015) ... Self - Host actor actors

    - Episode 7 (2015) ... Self - Host actor actors

    - Episode 6 (2015) ... Self - Host actor actors

    - Episode 5 (2015) ... Self - Host actor actors

    - Episode 4 (2015) ... Self - Host actor actors
    2002
  • Have I Got News for You

    - Miles Jupp, James May and Jess Phillips MP (2022) ... Self actor actors

    - Dominic West, James May, Reginald D Hunter (2009) ... Self actor actors

    - Alexander Armstrong, James May, Nick Robinson (2007) ... Self actor actors
    1990
  • Top Gear

    Self - Host

    actor

    actors
    1978
  • Top of the Pops

    - 29th January 2006 (2006) ... Self - Host actor actors
    1964

• creators (2 credits)

  • James May: Our Man in…

    creator

    creators
    2020
  • The Grand Tour

    creator

    creators
    2016

• writing (2 credits)

  • Top Gear: Australian Road Trip

    writer

    writing
    2015
  • James May's Top Toys

    writer

    writing
    2005

• directing (1 credits)

  • Top Gear of the Pops

    director

    directing
    2007