This is a series of blogs looking at some of the less well known, but still great, citizens of this nation. For one reason or another each person on this list is a personal hero of mine, be it because they are great at what they do, or simply because the are batshit insane.
Whatever the reason I am going to take time to salute them.
I have talked about my love of Top Gear before but I would be remiss if I didn’t use this blog to salute James May individually, because more than Clarkson and especially more than Hammond he represents the best of British.
When researching this blog I discovered something I should have suspected, like all the best people he was born in the Cotswold’s – Bristol to be exact. Although he spent his teenage years up north I feel it was this exposure to “The land of Awesome”* that helped shape him into the man we all admire today.
Aside from Top Gear may has hosted a number of great shows. Most of which involve ether childhood toys or engineering or scientific marvels. But may favorite of his solo shows is the “Big Ideas” series where he did such genius things as build, and live in a full size Lego house. Build a full size Air-fix Spitfire and recreate a disused Railway Line using a lot of Hornby Train Sets.
As well as this he is an acomplised pianist, qualified pilot and amatur engineer. He is also one of the few men to fly on the edge of space, in fact this man has done more things with his life than i can only dream of.
The key to James’ genius however lies in the fact that he is so, very, British. Looking like an aging rocker but with the personality of a man from the 1950’s he sums up the English gent in more ways than Hugh Grant ever managed.
James May is just one of those people you would love to call a friend, sure you would rib the hell out of him but that would be part of the fun.
As always, for all his awesomeness – James May I salute you!
*This what I shall refer to Gloucestershire and the Cotswold’s as from now on, because, well it is.