RICHARD Hammond has paid a visit to former Top Gear and The Grand Tour co-presenter James May's pub in the Wiltshire village of Swallowcliffe.

May, 61, announced in September 2020 that he had bought "one half" of The Royal Oak, which is near his South Wiltshire home.

Despite being 'banned' from Jeremy Clarkson's pub in Oxfordshire - the third member of Top Gear/Grand Tour - May welcomed Hammond for his first visit.

The trio recently announced they were parting ways after the final Grand Tour episode screened on Amazon Prime.

Having worked together on the show and, before that, Top Gear, for a combined 22 years, the gang called it a day with one final special.

Clarkson recently bought The Windmill in Asthall, near Burford for around £1,000,000 – and May has responded to reports that his former co-star was experiencing difficulties.

He told The Telegraph: “I gather he [Clarkson] has realised that running a pub is actually quite expensive.

“I just like being able to say I own a pub, even though it sounds a bit naff when a famous person off the telly says that sort of thing.”

Richard Hammond visits James May's pub

In a video posted on YouTube by DRIVETRIBE, Hammond could be seen visiting May's pub and asking predictably pertinent — yet hilarious — questions.

The caption reads: "Richard Hammond’s first visit to James May’s pub — what could possibly go wrong?"

In a short clip shared on TikTok before the full video was released on YouTube, Hammond is seen arriving at the pub for the first time.

May pours his ex-colleague a Guinness before showing him around the establishment - paying particularly focus to one aspect of the building.

"This door is terrific, it farts," May excitedly exclaims.


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He then opens and closes a door, which, sadly, does not provide them with the desired flatulence.

"Oh, the f*****s have greased it", he says dejectedly.

Hammond then asks: "Do the people that run your pub for you believe you to be a "t***", to which May candidly replies: "Yes, of course they do."