James May won't return to Top Gear, calls show 'lame' without Jeremy Clarkson

Longtime Top Gear host James May is ruling out a return to the BBC's popular motorcar program without co-host Jeremy Clarkson, who was fired last month after a fracas with a producer.

May, 52, who has hosted the top rated show since 1999, says Top Gear wouldn't be the same without all three hosts: himself, Clarkson and Richard Hammond.

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"It has to be the three of us," May told the Guardian. "You can't just put a surrogate Jeremy in and expect it to carry on. It would be forced. I don't believe they [the producers] would be stupid enough to try that."

"That would be lame," he added.

Hosts' contracts expired

The BBC announced that Clarkson's contract would not be renewed after the host hit and verbally assaulted a Top Gear producer while filming on location.

Earlier this week, Clarkson suggested he was under emotional strain at the time of the fracas, revealing that doctors told him he probably had cancer just days before the incident.

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When announcing Clarkson's dismissal, BBC's director-general confirmed that the show will go on in 2016, but didn't reveal any future casting plans. May's contract, and that of co-host Richard Hammond, also expired last month.

The timing raises the possibility that the BBC may try to re-launch the program with an all new cast, but it's unlikely that they'd drop it all together.

Top Gear, which is aired in more than 200 countries, is one of the BBC's most profitable shows. 

May still has hope

May isn't ruling out the chance that the trio might get back together at the BBC to do "a car show of some sort," he said.

"The BBC haven't completely closed the door on Jeremy's return," May said. "They've not banned him or fired him, only just not renewed his contract for the moment. It's a subtle difference but an important one."

As for Hammon, he appears to be having difficulty waiting for Top Gear's possible return.

The 46-year-old TV personality has been spending his time making videos about his boredom and sharing them on YouTube.

His most recent video, called "Bored 2", shows him lying around and herding sheep. At least one fan has responded to the posts calling the clip "too boring to watch the whole thing."