James May has spoken about the ‘regrettable’ and ‘unfortunate’ Top Gear incident that led to Jeremy Clarkson being fired. The 62-year-old presenter fronted Top Gear from 2003 until 2015 alongsideClarkson, 64, and Richard Hammond, 55, before they moved over to The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime. Their time on Top Gear had come to an end after Clarkson was sacked by the BBC for an ‘unprovoked physical and verbal attack’ on a Top Gear producer.

He later apologised and agreed to pay damages, while May and Hammond followed Clarkson and quit the show soon after, saying they came as a ‘package’. Talking about the ‘steak-gate’ incident and May, Clarkson and Hammond leaving Top Gear as a result, May has now said: ‘I thought it was very unfortunate and I don’t actually think our Top Gear had to end because of it. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video.

Up Next. ‘I think it could have been patched up and put down to a bit of high stress and flightiness, to be honest. ‘It happened. It’s regrettable and it’s unfortunate, but it didn’t need to lead to the collapse of something very successful.’. He went on to The Times: ‘Maybe these things are ordained and it was time for us to move on. ‘We had been doing it by then for a decade, I think, more. And I never imagined it would last as long.’.

‘Without being big-headed about it, we were Top Gear and we were one of the biggest TV shows in the world at the time,’ he added. ‘It was quite an intense environment and it’s not entirely surprising that it occasionally went off the rails. If we’d been AC/DC or Thin Lizzy, nobody would have been the slightest bit surprised.’. Following the trio leaving the show, Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc took over as hosting, before Chris Harris, Freddie Flintoff and Paddy McGuinness.

However, Top Gear has since been taken off air for the foreseeable future after Flintoff suffered a horror crash and was airlifted to hospital and said to be ‘lucky to be alive’. The pro cricket player suffered from life-changing severe facial injuries and broken ribs, and had been driving an open-topped car at a reportedly high speed of 130mph when it flipped and slid along the track. Following the end of The Grand Tour last year, May said he thinks the time is right for a brand new motoring show because he, Clarkson and Hammond are ‘too old’.

He did however offer some hope about reuniting as a trio on another project, elsewhere saying: ‘I wouldn’t rule it out, but you do have to bear in mind that we’re all getting on a bit.’. Londoners are flocking to this ‘bustling’ neighbourhood 10 miles from the centre. What I Own: I bought my £820,000 Nine Elms flat through a little-known saving scheme. If you live at this house number, your property could be 'cursed'.

We moved into a beautiful floating lakehouse and only pay £2,210 a year in 'rent'. The London neighbourhoods 'on the up' in 2025 revealed. Top Gear is available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Got a story?. If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.