#seamen

James May discussed getting cross and throwing tantrums on the Who We Are Now podcast in March 2024 (Transcribed part starts at about the 9.40 mark)

Richard: James May cross is very funny. But it is measured. I don't think I've ever seen you properly lose your shit.

Izzy: I can't imagine that.

James: I did on the last Special.

Richard: Did you?

James: On the boat. I think you were too far away. It was still very articulate and ordered but I lost it a bit because they were interfering.

Richard: Was it close to a tantrum?

James (contrite): Yeah.

Richard: And you threw the radio out the boat.

James: No, I did that on the Vietnam one.

Richard: That was a tantrum.

James: Ah, yes. But it was justified!

Izzy: You threw a real radio out a boat?!?

Richard: One expensive walkie-talkie.

Izzy: You child!

Richard (jumping to his defence): I mean we were filming on boats. It was horrible, it's chaos.

James: It was horrible and it was dangerous and I was desperately trying to do it and it was... I'm going to name and shame, it was Wilman. Kept coming on the radio and I- The radio was- I had to balance it 'cause my boat didn't have places to put things and the weather was very choppy, mine's a river boat and it was-

Richard: We nearly died.

James: It was risky. And I was trying to get it into the harbour and I had a bin-bag over my head and I was wrestling and the steering would only work in one direction 'cause the rudder had been bent, and I was just getting into the harbour, it was about a quarter of a mile away and it was very choppy and Wilman just constantly came on the radio while I was talking and he said 'talk about the boat, why don't you say something about how choppy it is' and obviously I was doing that because I was genuinely fighting this crappy old boat into the harbour and at one point I had a flow going and then he spoke on the radio again, and rather than just turn it of - which is what a reasonable person would do - I just picked it up and threw it over the side, and it's...

Richard (laughing): I think it was caught on camera.

James: Oh, yeah, they've got it in the edit and they play it when they're depressed.

Richard: James May's tantrum.

James: The briefest tantrum in television history.

(Transcription by me, to the best of my abilities.)

And finally: Footage!!!!

(The Grand-ish Tour, Episode 1)

Unknown sailor