James May’s latest television project has been plunged into disarray after he sustained a serious injury. The former presenter of The Grand Tour was injured after falling off his bike earlier this month.
He had an accident near Hammersmith Bridge in London during a charity cycle ride, resulting in a “busted” wrist. This mishap has now caused havoc for his new Channel 5 show, The Great Explorers With James May.
James, 61, has expressed his frustration at the injury which prevented him from filming several scenes planned for the new series. When he was injured, James used X, Twitter, to inform his online followers, reports the Mirror.
He posted on the social media platform: “I’m taking part in a charity bicycle ride today, with the Armonico Consort and me old mate Oz Clarke (OBE). But I’m going in the car, because I bust my wrist in a bicycle accident.”
In a recent interview, he voiced his annoyance over his injury. “At my age, this sort of thing takes much longer to heal,” he told The Telegraph.
He continued: “I woke up one day and the one thing I never thought would happen had happened: I felt old. It’s partly my hair; my baggy face.”
James’ new series will see him tracing the journeys of historical figures like James Cook, Sir Walter Raleigh and Christopher Columbus, recounting their stories and travels.
A source told The Sun: “This show is all about James looking back over the journeys of the world’s most notable explorers across three 90-minute episodes dedicated to each name. Not only will he examine the success of their stories, from engineering innovation to culinary invention, but also the treasures brought back to dark, damp Europe.
“This series will also reveal the less impressive or palatable aspects of these men, for many, their discoveries may not be quite what they expected.”
Following the culmination of The Grand Tour, James shared his relief at not being depressed. In a surprising statement, he mentioned that ending the show felt timely as the presenters were “on the brink of death”.
May partnered on the programme with Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond, his peers from Top Gear days, and expressed no sorrow over the final episode, which aired earlier this month, insisting that they concluded “on a high note”. During an event at Market Place Vauxhall, where vendors joined forces with May to serve special James Gin infused dishes for a limited period, he commented: “Nothing will ever be as big as Top Gear and The Grand Tour were, so I’m not full of woe and regret.”
He continued: “It was time to stop. We are all getting quite old. One or two of us are on the brink of death, and I hope we left on a high note with people wanting more, because that’s what you’re supposed to do in show business. So, I’m not depressed about it. It’s a time for reflection, a reflection usually leads to another gin.”