It’s easy to see Richard Hammond as the endlessly cheerful petrolhead from Top Gear and The Grand Tour.
But meet him today, and you notice something different. He looks tired, a little distracted.
There’s a quiet sadness that lingers behind his trademark grin. “Yeah,” he admits, his voice low, “I’m 55.
Things change. That’s what happens at this age. Big things change.”
It’s been a year of upheavals for the TV star, and it shows.
Endings on Screen and at Home
Richard’s long-running camaraderie with James May and Jeremy Clarkson came to a close with the final episode of The Grand Tour. “That was a big loss.
Huge,” he says. But life dealt him more blows.
His father, Alan Hammond, passed away at 80 from cancer. “I loved him dearly,” Richard says, his voice cracking at times.
And then, in January, Richard and Mindy announced their divorce after 23 years of marriage.
In the opening episode of his new series, Richard Hammond’s Workshop, he addresses it directly. “There has been a slight change in my circumstances recently.
I got divorced. Which means I now live here,” he says, gesturing to the countryside farmhouse that replaced the sprawling Bollitree Castle.
A New Home, A New Perspective
The farmhouse is a world away from the grandeur of Bollitree Castle. Its decor is minimal, almost hotel-like, but Richard loves the space.
“It’s got amazing views, a place to keep some of my cars and bikes, and best of all it’s closer to the workshop.”
Still, his smile fades quickly. “I’m trying to put a silver lining on this. It’s been a tough few years, but it’s not all bad.”
Choosing Positivity in the Face of Loss
Meeting him at a London hotel, he’s dressed in his usual smart style: cream chinos, white shirt, powder-blue jacket.
Yet, the fatigue is visible under his eyes. As someone who’s also recently lost a parent, I recognize the air of grief.
Richard’s philosophy is clear: your reaction defines your experience.
“Nothing has happened to you until you react to it. It’s your reaction that defines it. Absolutely. You have total choice on that.”
He’s not speaking hypothetically. Fans remember his 2006 jet-powered dragster crash, which left him in a coma and with brain injuries.
“That was a choice: choosing to make that a good thing, to write a book about it that millions of people read and benefited from. So that’s what I’ll do,” he says.
Divorce and Moving Forward
On the topic of his divorce, Richard speaks carefully. “In terms of that particular issue, that’s a decision we took.
We put out a statement and it still stands.”
The couple had said in January: “Our marriage is coming to an end, but we’ve had an amazing 28 years together and two incredible daughters.
We will always be in each other’s lives and are proud of the family we created.”
Eight months on, his attitude is pragmatic. “OK, that’s happened. Moving on.” As for a new relationship? He laughs, unsure.
“I haven’t got time. Right now I’m coming to the end of a series, and then… that will be for me to think about.”
Richard Hammond’s Workshop: A Labor of Love
The series focuses on The Smallest Cog, Richard’s classic car garage in Hereford.
The workshop restores cars for clients, including TV star Debbie McGee. But business has been challenging. “We’ve been through the mill. Bloody hell, it’s been hard.
Why? Because of my lack of management ability and the market.” Has he lost money? “God, yeah. Tons of it… Half a million.”
Still, Hammond sees it as more than a business. “My grandfather apprenticed as a cabinet maker, then went into coach building.
It’s always been an ambition to have a workshop, a way to get involved in the industry properly.”
Remembering His Father
Richard’s love for his father remains a bright spot in these difficult times.
He recalls buying a hand-built Morgan 44 Sport for Alan, who loved driving it through France and Italy.
Reflecting on his father’s last days in the hospice, Richard says, “He was utterly magnificent… We went for imaginary walks around Buttermere and listened to the skylarks. It was beautiful. The mind is an amazing place.”
Alan passed away in October, though Richard kept the news private until the New Year. “Sometimes I forget he’s gone.
Something happens and I think, ‘I must go and tell Dad.’ Then I realise, ‘Oh. I can’t.’”
Family, Responsibility, and the Next Generation
Richard is now more aware than ever of his responsibilities. “I don’t take unnecessary risks.
I have two beautiful daughters and I don’t want their father to suddenly exit stage left.”
His eldest, Izzy, 24, graduated from Bristol University and now works in podcasting and car journalism. Willow, 22, is immersed in art and horses.
“They both are hilarious on camera, but they don’t have to be. They’ve grown up with it all their lives.”
Life After the Big Lads’ TV Era
He maintains friendships with May and Clarkson, despite their shows ending.
“People want to know that we all hate each other, but it’s not true… We couldn’t have spent so much time together if we did, there would have been a murder.”
As for the future? “We agreed. We were well aware we were getting a bit older.
But who knows? It’s an ever-changing world. We’ll see. There’s nothing planned.”
A New Beginning with Autumn in the Air
With a new series launching, Richard is finding hope in routine and seasons.
“Autumn is melancholy and misty, but it was a beautiful crisp morning and I actually feel a blossoming, because of the new school year.
I quite like September… It’s a new start.”
Richard Hammond’s Workshop returns on Discovery+ on 6 October.