THE HUMAN MACHINE: JAMES MAY RETURNS TO CHANNEL 5 WITH NEW SERIES

5 announces the commission of a brand-new factual entertainment series James May: The Human Machine w/t (4x60”) from Plum Pictures. Following his successful and well received debut series with the channel James May’s Great Explorers that aired earlier this year, this new outing will see James May delving deep into the most extraordinary machine on Earth – the human body.

In this ambitious new four-part series, James will examine and explain the 30 trillion cells working together to keep us alive. From the engine-room stomach to the wiring of the nerves, the air-pump lungs, and the fuel-pump heart – right down to the humble nostril hair and hard-working eyelashes (nature’s windscreen wipers) James will explore the ingenious systems that nature has perfected over millions of years.

But for all its brilliance, the human body is also frustratingly fragile. Bits break, ache, and droop. A cold, a scratch, or a dodgy lunch can derail the whole system. James will investigate how humans have spent millennia fixing ourselves – from ancient potions and grisly amputations to the latest in robot surgeons, 3D-printed organs, and microscopic medical marvels.

Best known for tinkering with the inner workings of cars and bikes, James will now turn his attention to our “marvellous meat-sacks” – visiting cutting-edge labs, grisly medical museums, and even scrub up for some hands-on procedures.

Along the way, he’ll break down how the body works, how it can go wrong, and the ingenious ways we’ve learned to repair and improve it – while also exploring what engineering can learn from biology. And he’s planning to start the series hanging upside down…

James May said: “It’s the most remarkable machine we have, and it’s us. The human body; billions of components working together to keep us upright, thinking, and moving around without falling over. But it also goes wrong - leaking, aching, and disintegrating. As someone interested in how things work, I’ll be taking it apart to see how it ticks. It’s a miracle any of us makes it beyond breakfast.”

Guy Davies, Consultant Editor for Commissioning added: "James has a unique knack for making complex subjects both entertaining and enlightening – and the human body will be no exception. Though our discussions about farting’s place in the series have yet to be resolved.”

More details will be announced in due course.