James May’s new Channel 5 show thrown into chaos after star’s nasty bike injury
JAMES May’s brand new Channel 5 show has been dealt a huge blow after the star suffered a nasty bike injury.
The Grand Tour star suffered a fall from his bicycle earlier this month with his injuries now having had an impact on his latest TV gig.
Whilst training for a charity bike ride, the star took a tumble near Hammersmith Bridge that landed him with a “bust wrist”.
Now, it has been revealed that his fall, and subsequent recovery, has thrown a spanner in the works for his upcoming Channel 5 series, The Great Explorers with James May.
In a new interview with The Telegraph, it was revealed that James had been left “annoyed” by his injuries after it had “badly spoiled filming” for the programme.
It has meant the programme has faced chaos after James was unable to film scenes as originally planned.
Sharing his angst at the injury, he told the publication: “At my age, this sort of thing takes much longer to heal.
“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.”
Revealing his injuries at the time, the former Top Gear host wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “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.”
The Sun were the first to exclusively report that James had bagged himself a brand new TV show after the motoring series he hosted with Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond finally drew to a close.
It is understood that the broadcaster wasted no time in snapping up James which will see him follow in the footsteps of explorers James Cook, Christopher Columbus and Sir Walter Raleigh, telling of their life stories and great endeavours.
An insider said: “James is no stranger to being part of a great adventure, thanks to his travelogue series that’s taken him from Italy to India on Prime Video.
“But 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.”
The Grand Tour episode guide
How many seasons of The Grand Tour are there and where do they take place?
The Grand Tour launched on Prime Video in 2016 and quickly became one of the streamer’s biggest hits as hosts Jeremy, 63, James, 60, and Richard, 52, felt it was time they move on from Top Gear hit the road.
They have now brought five epic series of motoring adventures to the small screen, each taking place in different locations and even featuring celebrity guests.
Series 1
- Series 1 aired from 2016 to 2017 and took the presenters to a number of foreign locales, including Jordan, Morocco and Italy.
- The series is comprised of 13 episodes, with episodes 7 and 8 making up a two-part special set in Namibia, where the trio embarked on an epic beach buggy challenge.
Series 2
- Jeremy, Richard and James returned for more motoring actor in series 2, and drove their way across Europe as they tested out some of their dream vehicles like the Bugatti Chiron and the McLaren 720S.
- This series, which aired from 2017 to 2018, is made up of 11 episodes. It features regular ‘studio segments’ filmed in the team’s permanent tent in the Cotswolds, and had regular participation from celebrities with two guests going head-to-head on timed laps every episode.
Series 3
- In 2019, the presenting trio crossed continents – from North America, to South America, to Europe and Asia – putting both new vehicles and classic sports cars through their paces.
- This series was the last to feature the regular studio segments, car reviews and timed laps.
- To mark the end of this era the final episode’s last segment includes a montage of scenes featuring the presenters over the course of their career as a trio, not only from this programme, but also from their time hosting Top Gear.
Series 4
- This series marked a complete change in format for The Grand Tour as it consists entirely for feature-length specials which aired between 2019 and 2021.
- The first two chronicle Jeremy, Richard and James’ epic adventures across Asia and Africa, while the third and fourth episodes saw them put foreign cars to the test on their home turf. And fitting American vehicles through Scottish roads is no easy feat.
Series 5
- Following the same format as series 4, the fifth and final series of The Grand Tour also consists of four feature-length specials.
- The first of these hits screens in 2022 and follows the trio as they travelled through Norway, Sweden and Finland in three Rally-Inspired Sports Saloons.
- The second episode was another Euro adventure while the third took the presenters back to Africa.
- The fourth instalment of the series and final ever episode of The Grand Tour, titled One for the Road, premieres on September 13, 2024. It promises to be an emotional one as the trio set out on one epic final adventure in Zimbabwe and reflect on their 22-year-long working relationship and friendship.