The Grand Tour: Official trailer for Carnage A Trois
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James May, who stars in The Grand Tour alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond, said the Amazon Prime series does not intend to “offend people” after jokes on the show sparked criticism. The car-enthusiast admitted that the popular show will walk a fine line between progressiveness and defiant familiarity when it returns next month.
The 58-year-old admitted that the trio do “make fun of people” but wants to be as inclusive as possible.
His comments come after singer Will Young accused his co-star’s use of “homophobic” jokes.
Their latest series, The Grand Tour: Carnage a Trois, finds the trio in a race of their lives as they embrace French car culture, filmed in Wales as a consequence of travel restrictions brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
Of the show’s divisive humour, James told the Daily Star: “I hope we’re always careful about the jokes we make because we’re not actually trying to alienate people or offend people.
“We make fun of people – that’s not quite the same thing. We try to be inclusive in that everybody is equally open for mockery and derision – mainly ourselves, let’s be honest.”
He added: “So I’m not aware that we made any crass homophobic jokes or comments. I hope we didn’t, but I’ll have to look back at it.”
The ex-Top Gear presenter explained that he believed the trio are modern and progressive thinkers.
“I don’t think we’re running scared of cancel culture and all the rest of it but I suppose unconsciously and just like everybody else in the world, we’re probably reassessing how we think about things, which is no bad thing in my view because society is a work in progress and it must always move on,” James went on.
He added: “So we’re not entrenched. We haven’t dug ourselves in and said, ‘No, we’re living in the 1970s with 1970s attitudes, make us a cup of tea, love.’
“We’re not doing that. We’re actually quite modern people, I think.”
The presenter shared that he felt the popular trio was “reasonably progressive”.
In October, former Pop Idol star Will Young slammed Grand Tour host Richard for making what he viewed as homophobic jokes after he watched an episode of the Amazon series.
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The singer, 42, said he was left “shocked” and “upset” after he believed the presenter made “offensive jokes” while driving Jeremy’s pink Jeep Wrangler in a Colombia special.
It prompted a furious Twitter tirade where Will slammed the Amazon Prime series.
Speaking in an interview with The Times, the singer said he had previously defended the presenters but insisted Richard should “take responsibility” for his comments.
He added that Jeremy was “the least of his problems” and that Richard was actually the “worst one”.
Will told the publication: “The producers chose to make the main narrative ‘Jeremy Clarkson is driving a hairdresser’s car.
“Basically, Jeremy Clarkson is gay. They had him wearing a pink shirt. They spray the car pink. They have him playing It’s Raining Men.”
He added: “They created the whole thing and it was Amazon that let it go out. I was so shocked and so upset.”
Express.co.uk previously contacted representatives for Richard Hammond and The Grand Tour.
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