James May shared that he is “having a difficult time” as he celebrated his 60th birthday on Monday, following co-star Jeremy Clarkson’s scandal over his hateful comments towards Meghan Markle.
Clarkson, 62, made disturbing remarks against the Duchess of Sussex, 41, in his column for The Sun, as he said he “hated” her and that he dreamt of people “throwing lumps of excrement” at her.
The presenter claimed in a statement posted on Instagram on Monday, that he apologised for his comments in an email sent to Prince Harry and Meghan on Christmas Day. The Sussexes have rejected this apology.
It has since been reported that Clarkson now faces the axe from Amazon Prime.
May, who appears on The Grand Tour with Clarkson on the streaming service, wasn’t in the birthday spirit as he jumped on Twitter on Monday, following the controversy.
He wrote: “Thank you for all your birthday wishes/crap jokes/sod offs. It is very comforting at this difficult time.
“I have successfully applied for my over-60s bus and tube pass. Pretty impressive, old person using the internet, etc etc."
Eager to know if, indeed, Clarkson’s titles on Amazon Prime are being pulled, one person asked: “Hopefully the Amazon decision does not affect your work. I loved Oh Cook! Maybe C5 will take up the Grand Tour?"
Another enquired: “Has the grand tour been cancelled after 2024?"
Variety has claimed that sources have said that Clarkson isn’t featuring in content on Amazon Prime beyond 2024.
This suggests that his already commissioned shows The Grand Tour and Clarkson’s Farm, the second season of which is due to stream on February 10, will still go ahead on Prime and be cancelled by next year.
Clarkson was called to be axed from ITV and Amazon Prime after unleashing hatred towards Meghan in his column.
Having posted his claims of reaching out to the Sussexes after his comments, they shared their dissatisfaction with his apology via a joint statement, issued on Monday night.
It read: “On December 25, 2022, Mr. Clarkson wrote solely to Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex.
“The contents of his correspondence were marked Private and Confidential.
“While a new public apology has been issued today by Mr. Clarkson, what remained to be addressed is his long-standing pattern of writing articles that spread ate rhetoric, dangerous conspiracy theories, and misogyny."
It adds: “Unless each of his other pieces were also written “in a hurry", as he states, it is clear that this is not an isolated incident shared in haste, but rather a series of articles shared in hate."
