Trivia

While filming for a new series of Top Gear (2002) on September 20th 2006, he was seriously injured when the jet car he was driving overturned. He was cut out of the vehicle and removed by air ambulance to Hospital. Despite suffering a "serious brain injury" he left intensive care and entered a private hospital within 10 days.

The Amazon's car-themed TV show "The Grand Tour" host Richard Hammond was in a serious crash while filming in Switzerland June 10, 2017, but escaped serious injury. Hammond crashed a Rimac Concept One electric super car after completing the Hamburg Hill climb in the alpine country. Hammond "was conscious and talking, and climbed out of the car himself before the vehicle burst into flames.

Lives just outside Cheltenham with his wife, two daughters, three horses, four dogs, two cats, a rabbit and handful of chickens.

Went to art college. When asked what he wanted to do with his degree, he replied "attract girls".

He eventually landed his dream job as a TV presenter on a motoring show but, alas, the show was on cable TV where the cameramen regularly outnumbered the viewers. Top Gear thought it daft to waste all that genuine petrolhead enthusiasm, so they gave him a job on proper telly.

Daily driver: Porsche 911 GT3 RS.

Drives a Morgan +8 Roadster (His dream car)

Unlike the other two hosts, Richard's idea of a good holiday is camping in the rain in the English Lake District.

Some of the cars he has owned: Ford mustang GT 390, Bentley S1, Dodge charger R/T, Jaguar E-type, Porsche 911 SC, Range Rover classic, Land Rover defender 110, BMW 850Ci, Porsche 928, Porsche 911 carrera S, Fiat 500, Dodge Challenger SRT-8, Morgan aeromax, Lamborghini Gallardo LP-560-4 spyder, Aston Martin DBS volante, Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Lagonda 2-litre supercharged, Opel kadett (named Oliver), Morgan V6 roadster.

November 2004 bought a 1969 Dodge Charger 440 R/T

First car: Toyota Corolla Liftback. He crashed it.

Writes a motoring column in the British tabloid newspaper, the Daily Mirror.

Owns a Labradoodle and coincidentally, presented Crufts 2005 on the BBC.

Went to Sharmans Cross school and Solihull School.

Started out on BBC Radio Cumbria.

Born on exactly the same date as Kristy Swanson (of "Deadly Friend" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" fame).

Motoring enthusiast and TV presenter.