James May hints Top Gear days are over following Jeremy Clarkson's BBC exit

May and fellow presenter Richard Hammond are thought to be in line to leave the show after Clarkson was dismissed from the BBC

James May said Clarkson was a ‘knob’, but he liked him (Getty Images)

James May has hinted further that he will quit Top Gear, saying he would like to go back to normal life.

The presenter said he was considering what to do next following Jeremy Clarkson’s dismissal by the BBC.

Speaking outside his home in west London today, May said he thought his days of working on the show were up.

May's comments have been echoed by Richard Hammond, who suggested yesterday that the show had reached “an end of an era” following Clarkson’s dismissal from the BBC.

“I think we’re very much the three of us as a package, it works for very complicated reasons that a lot of people don’t fully understand. So that will require a lot of careful thought,” he told Sky News.

On Wednesday the BBC announced that Clarkson’s contract with Top Gear would not be renewed after an internal investigation by the broadcaster found that he had launched an “unprovoked physical and verbal attack” on Tymon, who subsequently drove himself to A&E.

Regarding the decision, BBC director general Tony Hall said: “For me a line has been crossed. There cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another dictated by either rank, or public relations and commercial considerations.”

However, it may not be the end of Clarkson's relationship with the BBC after the corporation's creative director Alan Yentob said he would not rule out the Top Gear guru making a return.

Read more: James May hints he will not continue on Top Gear without Jeremy Clarkson
Richard Hammond 'gutted' about Clarkson sacking