James May rages 'you shouldn't apologise for being an old white man'

James May has lashed out over claims (Image: GETTY)

James May has lashed out at how he feels he's perceived in the current climate, declaring that he has no need to apologise for being "an old white man".

The former star of The Grand Tour, who had fans in tears following his exit earlier this year, addressed cancel culture and prejudice in a stormy new interview. He told the Telegraph: "You do see people saying white men are the root of all problems, and I’m sure we have been the root of many of them."

However, he stormed: "I certainly don’t feel obliged to go around apologising for being an old white man, because I can operate a screw-cutting lathe and most people can’t.” In a thinly veiled swipe at his famous rival Jeremy Clarkson, who parted ways with him recently after The Grand Tour ended, he revealed that the pair's views are "very different".

Jeremy revealed over the summer when he launched his pub The Farmer's Dog that he didn't think James would be visiting. However, that won't stop him from watching the Clarkson's Farm star on social media.

"It’s like following people on X who you don’t agree with. People have said to me, ‘why do you follow JK Rowling?’ Because I’m interested to see what she says," he exclaimed.

James May with The Grand Tour co-stars Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond (Image: PA)

"I’m not looking for the so-called echo chamber, I’m looking for the other view."

While James can appreciate opinions that are different from his own, he isn't keen to accept suggestions of "toxic masculinity" based on his gender and age.

He also addressed the issue with his former Top Gear and The Grand Tour co-star Richard Hammond on the podcast he shares with his daughter Izzy, titled Who We Are Now.

"I do feel like men are getting a bit of a bad rap recently," he agonised.

James May has two new upcoming TV shows (Image: PA)

"There's a lot of talk about toxic masculinity and I know there is a lot of it around and it's right that we confront it and address it... but it's not all of us.

"We seem to be straying close to a point where simply being a bloke, especially if you're a sort of older, lower middle-class, white bloke... you're almost immediately written off," he exclaimed.

Jeremy Clarkson has traditionally been more outspoken than James and less afraid to be stereotyped, recently mocking calls for reparations for colonialism to be sent to Barbados.

He wrote in his column for The Sun: "Okay, so let’s kick the ball down the road and demand a similar sum from the Italians for invading us in AD43, and the French for then doing much the same thing in 1066. Oh, and let’s have a couple of trillion from the Norwegians for all that pillagey Viking nonsense, as well."

Meanwhile, James is returning to TV screens for his new project on Quest, James May and The Dull Men’s Club - and he'll also be filming for a Channel 5 show titled The Great Explorers.