Top Gear star, James May, reckons his exit from the show was avoidable despite his co-host, Jeremy Clarkso n, punching the programme's producer.
James, Jeremy and Richard Hammond left Top Gear after an on-set altercation in 2015 saw the Clarkson's Farm star punch Oisin Tymon over an alleged row about the lack of hot food on order after a long day's filming in Yorkshire.
Following the incident, an investigation was launched and Jeremy left the show. Meanwhile, co-stars James and Richard refused to sign new contracts with the BBC, causing the successful era of the series to end.
Opening up about 'punch gate' after spending a decade on Top Gear, James, who continued working with Jeremy and Richard on Amazon's Grand Tour in 2015, said: "I thought it was very unfortunate and I don't actually think our Top Gear had to end because of it. I think it could have been patched up and put down to a bit of high stress and flightiness, to be honest."
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PA)Speaking to the Sunday Times, he continued: "It happened. It's regrettable and it's unfortunate, but it didn't need to lead to the collapse of something very successful."
Despite spending years working and travelling the world together, Jeremy reportedly banned James from his newly-opened posh boozer in Oxfordshire. Lifting the lid on the pair's friendship now, James admits it's not the same as it once was.
While insisting he doesn't want to go to the Farmer's Dog because it's 80 miles away from his home, the petrolhead said he did contact Jeremy after his recent heart attack and the pair saw each other at a funeral not long ago.
James shared: "I did actually see him a few weeks ago, at a funeral, unfortunately, of someone we both knew. He seemed all right. We just seem older."
The famous trio have now ended up in different places with Jeremy impressing viewers on Prime Video’s Clarkson’s Farm, James in James May and the Dull Men, shown on Discovery+ and Richard on his car restoration show Richard Hammond’s Workshop.
Like James, Richard has also known Jeremy for years, however giving an insight into the pair's relationship, he joked that he also wanted to be banned from the presenter's pub.
Speaking on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X, he said: "No, I haven’t been yet. I want to go and get banned. So I’ve got to summon the energy to do that. I don’t think it’ll be that difficult. I think he’s already banned James."
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