James May
James May makes car films, travel shows and curious experiments, and shares cooking, motoring and gin-making adventures on his YouTube channel, Planet Gin.
At 100 nudges, fangea sends James’s team an official invite.
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Latest
James’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Prime Video
BBC
Prime Video
YouTubeOverview
- From
- Bristol, England
- Work
- Presenter, journalist, author and online creator
- Studied
- Music at Lancaster University
- Breakout
- Joined the revived Top Gear in 2003
- Also known as
- Captain Slow
Mini bio
How it started.
Before television, James studied music at Lancaster and worked in journalism, including sub-editing at The Engineer and Autocar. His move into the revived Top Gear in 2003 brought him together with Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond.
The adventures grew.
The trio went on to make The Grand Tour. Alongside the car films, James built a solo body of work around things he wanted to understand: ambitious toy projects, practical experiments, travel through Japan, Italy and India, and learning to cook on Oh Cook!.
A camera, a kitchen and a shed.
Planet Gin gives those interests a home online, from car films and cooking to experiments with his crew. His gin business grew from another practical idea: making a drink for his local pub. Working with distiller Hugh Anderson, he developed Asian Parsnip and found buyers well beyond the pub.
Creditschronological, newest first
Television
- 2025James May’s Great ExplorersPresenter
- 2024James May: Our Man in IndiaPresenter
- 2020–2023James May: Oh Cook!Presenter
- 2016–2024The Grand TourCo-presenter
- 2009–2014James May’s Toy StoriesPresenter
- 2003–2015Top GearCo-presenter
Books
- 2020Oh Cook!Author
Awards
Quotes
It’s the most remarkable machine we have, and it’s us.James May, 5’s The Human Machine announcement
Speaking about the human body when his four-part science series was announced in August 2025.
Trivia
- He plays the flute and piano, and studied music as a member of Lancaster’s Pendle College.
- Captain Slow reached 259.11 mph in a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport for Top Gear.
- His first Asian Parsnip gin batch was intended for his pub. After he tweeted about it, the thousand bottles sold within days.
Find James
Follow James for cars, kitchen experiments and whatever catches his curiosity.
Are you James May?
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