James May stars in Our Man In Italy Prime Video trailer

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Later this month, James May will return with a new instalment of his Amazon Prime series, Our Man In Italy. The Grand Tour host will take viewers across the pond where he will explore what Italy has to offer. He will also visit some of the country’s iconic landmarks, as well as trying out some of its traditions.

The series will see James take on the Sicilian capital of Palermo to the peaks of the Dolomites.

During his trip, the former Top Gear star will discover the culture, food, industry, and even a bit of sport.

Our Man In Italy comes after the success of James’ previous series, Our Man In Japan.

However, in an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk and other press, James discussed the backlash he faced when filming for the series.

“Some people objected to it,” the presenter began. “When we made the Japan programme there were a few people who said, ‘Oh this is disrespectful, it doesn’t respect Japanese culture’.

“It wasn’t deliberately disrespectful, but the fact is, travel journalism is slightly invasive because you go to someone else’s country and you stand in front of the camera and you have an opinion on it.

“If somebody came around to my house and did that, I’d be like ‘B****r off!’

“What I’m saying is you have to be extremely careful not just come across as a pompous tourist.”

James’ new series in Italy will see the 59-year-old take on a number of challenges including making his own full English breakfast pizza and kayaking.

However, speaking about one embarrassing moment for James where the crew made him dress up.

“The crew like dressing me up for some reason, they’re almost a bit kinky about it,” James joked.

“The bits that are in…I think if you could have seen the whole thing, the most embarrassing thing would be canoe polo because I don’t fit in the canoe.

“I’ve only ever paddled a canoe twice in my life and that was many years ago and I didn’t really fit.

“I was playing against a lot of 18 and 19-year-old women and to be honest, I felt a bit pervy…

“Maybe because I’ve become a province of the woke age, but it just didn’t seem right, and I looked terrible in the not a wetsuit…those legging things.

“I just looked like a really bad ballerina… that was the most embarrassing, it’s all fairly embarrassing…being on television is embarrassing.”

When asked about refusing to take part in something he was asked to do by producers, James admitted: “Oh, god yeah all the time.

“If I was left to my own devices in Italy, I would always say ‘I’d like to do this, this and this’ and they rather begrudgingly allow me to do those things but then the crew and producers come up with some surprises, it just makes better tele if I don’t know what is coming up.

“If I was left to my own devices I would do craft, art, I’d look at some famous buildings and I would explore some spas.

“The crew and producers basically want me to basically be uncomfortable, dress, up have a terrible time and hurt myself.”

James May: Our Man in Italy launches on Prime Video on July 15.

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