James May says Clarkson's Farm has given his Grand Tour co-star "a new purpose"

Can May cook a casserole in his washing machine while cleaning his whites, can he crack a walnut with a sledgehammer without smashing it to pieces —and is it possible to find a use for the too-short pencil stub?

At 61, you're being paid to mess about at home. Is this the dream?

To get to this age and still be making a living from blundering about is great. I would be doing a lot of this even if the camera wasn’t there. I feel like I’m reverting to my 12-year-old self – I like to read books, play instruments and make things.

As a child, what sparked your interest in making things?

I struggled, and I still do, writing with a pen. Subconsciously I avoid anything that involves much writing in favour of things that are more practical, like Airfix and fixing bikes. I would never have made a living writing if I’d had to do it longhand.

How was it, making James May and the Dull Men after filming your final instalment of The Grand Tour?

It’s the difference between pottering and going out to work. We had 60 or 70 people on those big trips. While not arduous, it got quite intense and stressful. Here, it’s seven of us, which is relatively relaxed.

Do you envisage more big adventures in the future?

The Grand Tour is done and they don’t want any more of [travel series] Our Man in… so I don’t see much opportunity for more adventures. I’ve been extremely lucky to have seen a huge amount of the world, but as I get a little older, I’m getting more "nesty" – I’m content to be cooking, watching TV, listening to music, and going down YouTube rabbit holes looking at people making things.

Is this an admission that you've become, or have always been, a "dull man"?

I don’t think it is dull! I’m a bit bored with the idea that men are dull because they like going into their workshops or lofts to make things or paint pictures. I’ve argued with the producers and the channel about this – it’s meant ironically. I don’t think we should use it to beat men and say the era of "the bloke" is over. Some basic manly qualities are under threat. Many people mistakenly think it’s dull – but we’ll show them!

Is there a mental health benefit to creating and mending things?

Yes, I’m a bit of a fidgety, twitchy person, even more so as I age. I find doing quite focused, meticulous activities – putting things together or mending things – quite calming.

What are your criteria for choosing the show's activities?

It has to be achievable by a dilettante-ish person, ie me. The producers thought we could build a motorcycle from scratch and I had to say no, that’s years of work. Some ideas were simply too boring: I don’t think there’s a science in the order you put things in a dishwasher, for example, or any great truth to be revealed.

How much time do you spend in your shed?

A few hours, three evenings a week. About half of that I’m on my own, sometimes my partner Sarah [Frater, an art critic and journalist] is there, writing or doing some gardening. I like these things to be integrated into the rest of domestic life. The cliché of "woman doing a tapestry in the sitting room while the bloke's in the shed mending a lawnmower" is the death of a blissful home.

How do you split domestic duties?

I do internet, light bulbs and small domestic repairs; Sarah gardens. We’re fairly even-stevens on shopping and cooking. We spend quite a bit of time together at art galleries and exhibitions, but Sarah’s not that interested in lathe work, weirdly. She’ll say, "You go off and turn a large piece of metal into a much smaller one…"

Are we in danger of losing some traditional skills in the modern world?

I’m wary of the idea that skills are dying out. As far as I can make out, humankind can still do everything it’s been able to do. Some people can still thatch roofs, work lathes and do pargeting. People say, "We must get the young into bell-ringing or morris dancing, otherwise it’ll disappear" – but if it does, it’ll be because nobody was interested, in which case it doesn’t matter. I’m sure lots of so-called "traditions" disappear, but the good ones don’t.

What have you been working on lately?

A local charity, Navy Wings, has given me some parts to make the undercarriage of a Hawker Sea Fury plane. They have to be made accurately to be inspected and passed. I’m in the middle of turning aluminium bronze on the lathe to make tail-wing bushes. The plane will go into historical air displays – and I’ll have made a bit of it.

Are men hardwired to tinker?

It does seem to be predominantly men – but not all men. Jeremy isn’t interested in this sort of thing. But I really hate the expression "man caves", like we dribble harmlessly by ourselves out of the way. Sometimes we’re making interesting stuff and making a difference. I’d be happy to have some women making things in the show, too.

Have you been surprised by the longevity of Clarkson's Farm?

Yes, because he's not very practical. He's deeply afraid of anything physical or manual. It's given him a new purpose, which he possibly needed. Maybe it’s a big moment for all of us. We've paused to think about who we really are.

What's your relationship like with Jeremy and Richard now you're no longer filming The Grand Tour?

I’ve spoken to them a few times and I suspect we’ll go out for a beer somewhere – just because we can, not because we have to come up with some gags, plan a road trip or choose some cars, but for the hell of it. It’d be quite interesting.

Jeremy's barred you and Prime Minister Keir Starmer from his pub. Are they both welcome in yours, The Royal Oak in Wiltshire?

We're much more liberal-minded. A lot of the locals would have tough question

s for Starmer but that’s what the pub is for, it’s a forum for debate.

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