James May has broken his silence on being “banned” from Jeremy Clarkson’s countryside pub, The Farmer’s Dog, and he didn’t hold back when asked about the playful snub.
Appearing on ITV’s Lorraine on Friday morning, May joined host Christine Lampard to reflect on his long-running friendship — and rivalry — with former Top Gear and Grand Tour colleague Jeremy Clarkson. Inevitably, talk turned to Clarkson’s new Cotswolds venture, which has already become a hot spot for locals and fans alike.
At the pub’s grand opening earlier this year, Clarkson jokingly announced that only two people were barred from setting foot inside The Farmer’s Dog: Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and his ex-co host James May. It was a revelation that raised plenty of eyebrows at the time, but May has now set the record straight, making it clear he isn’t remotely bothered by the ban.
Speaking candidly to Christine, May responded with his trademark dry wit.
“Apparently — and I’ve said this before — it’s a bit like being banned from a golf club. I wasn’t going to go anyway. I’ve got my own pub just around the corner, so why would I drive 75 miles to his? Especially when mine’s better,” he quipped, leaving Christine in stitches.
May was referring to The Royal Oak, a traditional Wiltshire pub he co-owns near his home, where he often spends time when not touring or filming. Far from feeling snubbed, the presenter made it clear he views Clarkson’s gesture as part of the lighthearted ribbing that has defined their relationship for more than two decades.
Indeed, their legendary back-and-forth has long been a hallmark of their on-screen chemistry. While fans speculated the pub ban hinted at deeper tension, Clarkson himself dismissed any notion of a falling out.
“We’ve spent more time in each other’s company than with our families over the last 25 years,” Clarkson explained previously. “I don’t think it would have lasted as long as it did if we’d hated each other as much as James likes to think.”
The timing of May’s comments comes just over a year since The Grand Tour wrapped up its final special on Amazon Prime, bringing the curtain down on an era that began with Top Gear back in the early 2000s. For May, it’s a career chapter that still feels surreal.
“It did occupy 25 years of my life,” he reflected on Lorraine. “I worked at that job longer than I’ve worked at any other. That’s almost half of my life, and over half of my working life, doing that. It is quite remarkable, but it’s gone now — and I’m just old!”
With no reunion planned, the famous trio are now pursuing separate ventures. May is currently preparing to bring his solo stage show, James May: Our Man in… Explorers, to UK audiences next week. Clarkson continues to enjoy success with his hit Prime Video series Clarkson’s Farm, which recently won a National Television Award for Best Factual Entertainment show.
That night, however, Clarkson had his own embarrassing moment when a wardrobe mishap stole the spotlight. As he took to the stage to collect the award alongside co-stars Kaleb Cooper and Lisa Hogan, Clarkson was seen clutching his waistband as his trousers slipped lower than intended. “I should explain,” he laughed to the audience, “I’m on Mounjaro [antidiabetic medication Tirzepatide], and my trousers are falling down.”
From pub bans to falling trousers, it seems life after The Grand Tour is still delivering plenty of memorable moments for Clarkson, May, and their long-time fans.
