Richard Hammond is an English television presenter, writer and journalist. He is best known for being a co-host of BBC Two’s Top Gear from 2002 to 2015. He is also known for presenting shows such as Brainiac: Scientific Abuse (2003–2008), Total Wipeout (2009–2012) and Live Planet Earth ( 2012).

Born name

Richard Mark Hammond

nickname

Hamster

Sun sign

Protect

Place of birth

Solihull, Warwickshire, England, UK

nationality

training

The first school he attended was Blossomfield Infant School from the ages of 3 to 7. He was then admitted to Solihull School which he later left to join Ripon Grammar School . He went on to attend Harrogate College of Arts and Technology in 1986.

occupation

TV presenter, writer, journalist

family

• Father – Alan Hammond (businessman)
• Mutter – Eileen Hammond
• Siblings – Andrew Hammond (Younger Brother) (Writer), Nicholas Hammond (Younger Brother)

Manager

Richard is managed by Independent Talent Group Ltd. represent.

Build

Slim

Height

5 feet 5½ inches or 166.5 cm

weight

64 kg or 141 lbs

girlfriend/spouse

Richard dated –

1. Amanda Hammond (2002–Present) – Richard married Daily Express columnist Amanda Hammond in May 2002. They are the proud parents of two daughters, Isabella Hammond and Willow Hammond.

race/ethnicity

White

hair colour

Schwarz

eye color

dark brown

sexual orientation

Just

distinguishing features

French beard

brand promotion

Richard had advertised brands like –

• Morrisons Supermarket (2008)
• Lease Plan (2017)

Known for

• Co-host of the famous BBC two car show Top Gear , from 2002 to 2015
• As the host of the UK entertainment documentary show, Brainiac: Scientific Abuse from 2003 to 2008, the famous UK game show, Total Wipeout from 2009 to 2012, and the live-action nature documentary, Planet Earth Live in 2012

First TV show

Richard made his TV show debut on Auto File as a presenter in 1998.

Personal trainer

Richard tries to keep himself going by doing a lot of physical activity like running. According to an interview, he revealed that he tries to run a five-mile run several times a week. He also likes to ride his bike when he has time.

Richard Hammond favorite things

• Food – cottage cake

Richard Hammond Facts

1. His family moved to the town of Ripon, Yorkshire when he was a child.
2. In an interview, he revealed that he got an art degree just to attract girls.
3. The first car he drove was a Toyota Corolla Liftback which he unfortunately crashed.
4. After completing his studies he worked for many BBC radio stations such as Radio Cleveland , Radio York , Radio Cumbria , Radio Newcastle , Radio Leeds , and Radio Lancashire .
5. After broadcast he moved into PR surveillance and it was from here that he experienced the first major break of his life in British TV series Top Gear .
6. When he joined the show in 2002, the show had just started its newest format.
7. He earned the nickname “Hamster” because of his name and also because he is the shortest of the show’s 3 hosts including James May and Jeremy Clarkson.
8. He was corroborated by that nickname again in series 7 of the series when he mimicked hamster-like behavior by eating cardboard three times.
9. On 20 September 2006 he had an accident while filming a Top Gear segment at the former RAF Elvington Airbase and suffered serious injuries when the jet-powered car he was piloting crashed at a speed of 463 km/h.
10. The vehicle he was driving at the time of the crash was a dragster named Vampire and was the same dragster car piloted by Colin Fallows in 2000. The British land speed record was 483.3 km/h. He is said to have completed a seventh and final run to collect additional footage for the show when the accident occurred after his front right tire failed.
11. During the accident, his helmet was completely embedded in the ground, causing soil to enter his mouth and damage his left eye.
12. As a result of the accident, he suffered a severe brain injury, but was able to exit the intensive care unit and enter a private hospital within 10 days.
13. It was so bad that Richard had to be extricated from the vehicle using hydraulic shears and taken to the hospital by ambulance.
14. After his recovery, he found that he had lost a year completely due to the brain injury and had no memory of events such as the Jonathan Ross interview or presentation on Top Gear Live in South Africa.
15. On June 10, 2017 he had another accident, this time a Rimac Concept One electric supercar crashed while he was filming for The Big Tour in Hemberg, Switzerland. Even after a serious accident, he crawled out of the vehicle himself before it burst into flames. As a result of the crash, he suffered a tibial plateau fracture in his left knee and a plate and ten screws were surgically placed.
16. Besides hosting shows like Top Gear , he himself is an avid motorist and has owned some well-known cars like Ford Mustang GT 390 , Bentley S1 , Jaguar E-Type , Porsche 911 SC , Range Rover classic, Land Rover Defender 110 , BMW 850Ci , Porsche 928 , Porsche 911 Carrera S , Fiat 500 , Lamborghini Gallardo LP-560-4 Spyder , Aston Martin DBS Volante , Porsche 911 GT3 , Porsche 911 GT3 RS to name a few.
17. He also owned an Opel Kadett and had named it Oliver.
18. He is also the author of a car column in the British tabloid Daily Mirror .
19. As an author, his first book What Not to Drive was published in 2005.
20. His idea of ​​a perfect holiday is camping in the rain in the English Lake District.
21. He owns a farm with animals such as horses, dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, sheep and peacocks.
22. Richard can also play bass guitar.
23. In his ideal time he likes to ride a bicycle, scooter or motorbike.
24. Richard has often openly expressed his dislike for the English rock band Genesis .
25. His comments have sparked numerous controversies from viewers, LGBT charities and foreign diplomats.
26. Amidst all the controversy, he is involved in charitable causes and was an active ambassador for a charity called The Children’s Trust , which supports children with brain injuries.
27. Follow Richard Hammond on Instagram and Twitter.