This is not true if you're making a programme about science or engineering or car history, where you have some authority, but I'm working on a cooking show, where I avowedly can't cook anyway, so everybody is part of the advisory committee and it does get bloody annoying, quite quickly. While unhealthy snacking is somewhat inevitable during filming for Top Gear and the Grand Tour, it seems May and co have not been entirely fuelled by Liquorice Allsorts. I’m not a regular cook myself, as my wife is much better at it and we’ve got into the habit of her doing most of the cooking while I handle most of the cleaning. The hook with this brand new series, as suggested by May’s introduction, is that he isn’t even trying to pretend that he’s an expert in the kitchen, even if he then goes straight on to knock up an impressive-looking Asian chicken soup, some “Spamen” (a mix of ramen and, yes, Spam) and a glazed salmon dish. In a frying pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and fry the onion/mushroom mix for a few minutes until soft.

I made this at the end of a busy day, and it was very much a case of classic “distracted cooking” on my part. We had it as a side dish with some plain old diner-style meatloaf, but it was good enough to be a vegetarian main dish.

The whole point of the show, and the accompanying book (which, as May points out in the introduction, was written after the show was filmed), is to teach people who can’t cook the basics of making a satisfying meal. Although when filming and not in lockdown, he's all about packets of nuts and fruit, cereal energy bars and the odd packet of Liquorice Allsorts.

As you’d expect, it’s in hardback form, but it’s not as heft and thick as those giant doorstop cookbooks that gather dust on your shelves. Michael Hogan for The Telegraph gave the series three out of five stars, saying the show has "unlikely charm" and there was "finally a cookery show for blokes". Remove the pudding from the oven, unwrap the kitchen foil, then snip the string and unwrap the parchment.I don't want to be in a village where there isn't a pub within walking distance, that would make life utterly pointless. One adjustment we made for time was, instead of boiling an egg, we “poached” an egg by putting it in the microwave. His descriptions are more extensive, and his interactions with the crew and resident “food economist” Nikki range from charming to hilarious.

During the episodes May is assisted at times by home economist Nikki Morgan, who is kept in a cupboard until her assistance is required. This latter chapter has recipes involving things such as Spam and sardines, to give you some ideas of what you can make from leftover basics in the cupboard. There are many throwaway comments typical of the Top Gear triumvirate with Clarkson and May, some of which I found amusing, others wearisome and I suspect not especially genuine. Before reading the recipes on these pages, or indeed watching my cooking show, you should be aware that I can’t really cook.This may result in small marks to the dustjacket and title page, please also bear in mind that each signature will be a little different from the one we show here. Lucy Mangan for The Guardian gave the series three out of five stars, saying it was "occasionally charming – and mostly slightly dismal".