James May might be one of the world’s most famous petrolheads, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that driving comes easy.
The former Top Gear host ran into trouble on his latest driving test, which he failed to pass.
May, 63, is already a licensed driver – having passed the test 46 years ago – but undertook the modern test to see how it compares to the one that he took in 1980.
The TV personality documented the process on his YouTube channel, James May’s Planet Gin, in videos that saw him take to the roads around Salisbury and Wilton.
“Now, I do of course already have a licence. It was 1980 when I last took a test, and things have moved on a lot since then; the test is apparently very different,” he said.
“I haven’t revised for it. I haven’t learnt anything about it. I’m just going to do it and see if I can pass.”
Unfortunately for May, his lack of preparation proved to be his downfall when he failed the test, despite his extensive experience on the road.
In the video, he is recorded speeding not once but twice – driving at 46mph in a 40mph and 33mph in a 30mph zone – which led to his failure to pass.
May did, however, immediately notice when he broke the road rules, acknowledging: “I did 42 then. Sorry, but that was my eagerness to join the flow of traffic and not be a hazard.”
“Just as a radio would, or as many people get distracted by friends or mobile phones, distractions are part and parcel of modern driving,” he said.
May did not appear too nervous when taking the test throughout which he casually chatted with his examiner about topics including his time on Top Gear and his dislike of vocal sat-nav instructions.
Informing May of his failure, the examiner said: “I’d love to say well done, but you did have a couple of driving faults, but serious faults.”
Citing May’s two counts of speeding, he concluded: “That is a fail astonishingly.”
The TV presenter took the news of his failure amiably, telling his viewers: “Do as I say, not as I do.”
His driving test failure may come as a shock to fans who watched for years as May embarked on epic road trips, expertly reviewed cars, and participated in cinematic motor stunts alongside Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear.
Running from 2002 to 2015, the motoring series became a huge success for the BBC and made stars of its presenters.
The show came to an end after an on-set altercation saw Clarkson punch producer Oisin Tymon over the lack of hot food available to eat when filming at Simonstone Hall Hotel near Hewes, North Yorkshire.
An investigation was launched, and in solidarity with their co-host, May and Hammond refused to sign a new contract, bringing the show in its most successful form to a close.
The trio went on to make The Grand Tour for Amazon Prime Video, which ran for six successful seasons before it concluded in 2024.
Like Clarkson, who runs The Farmer’s Dog in the Cotswolds, May also manages a rural pub, The Royal Oak, in Swalcliffe, Wiltshire. In 2021, May launched his own brand of gin.
Last year, he also toured his live stage show, Explorers: The Age of Discovery.
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