Co-host of The Grand Tour, James May, is currently promoting his latest travelogue series for Amazon Prime Video Our Man in Italy, which sees him travelling the length and breadth of the country and experiencing all parts of its culture.
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However, in an interview featured in this week's Radio Times magazine, he has admitted that he is "quietly contemplating" retiring from his work in TV, saying that he suspects it won't be "far off".
When asked in the interview whether he'd contemplated a change of lifestyle, May admitted: "I don’t know if it’s because I had a nice time in Italy, or because I’m getting older, or because I’m sick of admin. A very close friend of mine died a few weeks ago. He retired early, because he’d always had this fear that his family isn’t very long-lived, and he wanted to swap possessions for experiences and knowledge.
"That’s what he started doing, but unfortunately he got cancer and it killed him. It was quite interesting thinking about that after he’d gone because it takes a certain amount of courage to say, 'No, I don’t want to telegraph my success and my sophistication. I simply want to have a nice life and contemplate the mystery and wonder of God’s creation.'"
James May: Our Man in Italy Amazon Studios
When further asked if he plans to retire and sell off his cars, May said: "It’s something I’m quietly contemplating, and I suspect it’s not far off."
May's latest series, Our Man in Italy, will release on Amazon Prime Video later this month, and acts as a follow-up to 2020 series James May: Our Man in Japan.
Meanwhile one of May's co-presenters on The Grand Tour, Richard Hammond, told RadioTimes.com exclusively that the team had finished filming the show's latest special earlier this year, and that they were getting ready to film another.
He said: "We've already filmed one - we're not long back from that. We’re ready to go off and do another, and they are huge missions to go and do."
James May: Our Man in Italy will release on Amazon Prime Video on Friday 15th July 2022. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
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James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
