James May’s Great Explorers: Former Top Gear presenter to delve into history of 18th century Yorkshire sailor Captain James Cook in Channel 5 show

Captain James Cook was the last explorer active during the age of sailing; he charted one third of the globe. It is thought that his travels brought significant advancements in navigation, biology, and geography, and while he is generally considered a hero in Britain, in other parts of the world, this is far from the truth.

The former Top Gear presenter James May will be diving into history, and getting hands-on with science, to understand how this son of a farmer broke through the class ceiling to become the greatest naval captain of his age.

When he was young, Cook was a keen apprentice in Whitby on coal ships before joining the Navy and James will attempt his own apprenticeship on board the tall ship Bessie Ellen in Cornwall.

Cook was the first European to chart New Zealand and the east coast of Australia. At the Natural History Museum, James gets to touch the incredible creatures brought back aboard the Endeavour, and learn all about the unorthodox collecting methods employed by chief scientist Joseph Banks.

Initially, Cook is renowned for being a caring and considerate Captain. James will experience the strict measures Cook implemented to preserve the sailors’ health, including all manner of scurvy cures, and dancing the hornpipe. He will also get to taste all the ship’s alcohol.

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On his second voyage, Cook lent a hand in solving the greatest navigational puzzle of the age. James will visit the Royal Museums in Greenwich to scratch his head over the Longitude problem and see the failed attempts that led to the H4 chronometer that finally solved it.

But Cook’s triumphant travels paved the way for the destruction of the civilisations he encountered, and British occupation of their lands. James will grapple with Cook’s intentions and culpability, as Cook did himself.

The Captain James Cook episode of James May’s Great Explorers will air on Thursday, February 27, 2025 at 9pm on Channel 5.