James May Biography: Wife, Parents, Net Worth, Books, Movie, Age, Siblings, Family

James May is a versatile and talented English media personality who has explored and presented various topics ranging from cars to wine, science to toys, and history to culture.

He is best known for being a co-host of the popular motoring show Top Gear, where he earned the nickname “Captain Slow” for his cautious driving style.

He is also an author, a musician, and a director of a production company. He has a quirky sense of humor, a love of luxury, and a passion for learning new things.

Profile

• Full name: James Daniel May
• Nickname: Captain Slow
• Date of birth: January 16, 1963
• Age: 60 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Bristol, England
• Nationality: British
• Profession: Television presenter, journalist, author, musician, director
• Height: 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
• Parents: James May (father), Kathleen May (mother)
• Siblings: Jane May (sister), Sarah May (sister), David May (brother)
• Partner: Sarah Frater
• Children: None
• Relationship status: Dating
• Net worth: $15 million

Early Life & Education

James May, at 60, was born on January 16, 1963, in Bristol, England. He was the second of four children of James May, a sales manager, and Kathleen May, a nurse. His siblings include Jane May, Sarah May, and David May.

He grew up in South Wales and later moved to Rotherham, Yorkshire, where he attended Oakwood Comprehensive School. He developed an interest in cars, music, and engineering from an early age.

He learned to play the flute and piano and studied music at Lancaster University. He also spent a year studying metalwork at a technical college, making a garden bench, a toolbox, and a coat stand. He graduated from university in 1985 with a 2:2 degree in music.

Personal Life

James May has been in a relationship with Sarah Frater, a dance critic, since 2000. They met through a mutual friend and have lived together in Hammersmith, London, ever since.

They have no children but two cats named Fusker and Bentley. James May has described himself as a “non-practicing Catholic” and a “liberal.”

He is a supporter of the Labour Party and a member of the Campaign for Real Ale. He also patronizes the London Air Ambulance and supports various charities, such as Help for Heroes, Marie Curie Cancer Care, and Sense.

Career

James May started his career as a sub-editor for The Engineer and Autocar magazines, from which he was fired for a prank involving a hidden message in the magazine’s road test yearbook.

He then wrote for several publications, such as Car Magazine, Top Gear Magazine, and The Daily Telegraph. He also wrote books like May on Motors, Oz and James’s Big Wine Adventure, and How to Land an A330 Airbus.

James May became famous as a co-presenter of the motoring program Top Gear, alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond, from 2003 to 2015.

He was nicknamed “Captain Slow” for his cautious driving style and often clashed with Clarkson over their opinions on cars.

He also participated in several challenges and adventures, such as driving to the magnetic north pole, building a Lego house, and launching a Reliant Robin into space. He left the show in 2015, following Clarkson’s dismissal by the BBC.

James May also hosted other shows on various themes, such as James May’s Top Toys, James May’s 20th Century, JamesMay’s Big Ideas,James May’s Man Lab, James May: The Reassembler, James May: Our Man in…, and James May: Oh Cook!.

He also co-presented The Grand Tour for Amazon Prime Video, along with Clarkson and Hammond, since 2016. He also directed and produced several documentaries, including James May on the Moon, James May at the Edge of Space, and James May’s Toy Stories.

Net Worth

James May has an estimated net worth of around $15 million.

He has earned wealth from television shows, books, and other ventures.

Death

James May is still alive and well as of 2023. He has not been involved in any fatal accidents or illnesses.

He has, however, joked about his death on several occasions, such as when he pretended to die after eating a Carolina Reaper chili on The Grand Tour or when he wrote his obituary for The Daily Telegraph.

Controversy

James May has not been involved in any major controversies or scandals in his career.

However, he has faced criticism and complaints from some viewers and critics for his opinions and jokes on various topics, such as politics, religion, gender, and culture.

He has also been accused of plagiarism by some authors, such as Ben Collins, who claimed that May copied his book The Man in the White Suit, and Richard Porter, who claimed that May copied his book And on That Bombshell.

James May has denied these allegations and defended himself in court.

Social Media

• Instagram handle: @jamesmaybloke
• Twitter handle: @MrJamesMay

Filmography

• Top Gear
• James May’s Top Toys
• James May’s 20th Century
• James May’s Big Ideas
• James May on the Moon
• James May at the Edge of Space
• James May’s Toy Stories
• James May’s Man Lab
• Phineas and Ferb
• The Simpsons

Books

• James May’s Lego House
• Oh Cook! 60 Easy Recipes
• The Reassembler
• Car Fever