James May officially quits Top Gear: 'It just wouldn't be the same without Jeremy Clarkson'

While there had been suspicions, James May has now confirmed that he has quit Top Gear.

The 52-year old TV personality has bowed out of the long-running BBC motor show after his contract ran out in March.

It also follows the very public sacking of friend and co-host Jeremy Clarkson.

‘Me and [Richard] Hammond with a surrogate Jeremy is a non-starter, it just wouldn’t work. That would be lame, or “awks” as young people say,’ the 52-year-old told The Guardian.

‘It has to be the three of us. You can’t just put a surrogate Jeremy in and expect it to carry on. It would be forced. I don’t believe they would be stupid enough to try that.’

He wouldn’t rule out a return all together though mind.

‘It doesn’t mean I won’t go back, we may all go back in the future. It might just be we have a break from it. I don’t know.’

And, just to clarify, he hasn’t left the BBC.

Taking to Twitter, the fop-haired star said: ‘I have not quit the BBC, just so you know.’