Richard Hammond’s wife Mindy ended their marriage months ago, MailOnline can reveal.
The former Top Gear star, 55, had been desperately trying to save her 28-year marriage until very recently, but the couple publicly announced they were splitting for good on Thursday.
As part of an impending divorce battle, Mindy, 59, reportedly wants to keep her £7million Bollitree Castle in Herefordshire.
In the wake of their split, Richard is said to have been banished to his converted barn where he kept his motorcycles, but has now moved to a rented property in a nearby village where he runs his ‘Smallest Cog’ car restoration shop.
Their shocking split comes amid claims from insiders that Richard, who shares two daughters with Mindy, Isabella, 24, and Willow, 22, has become increasingly difficult to live with in recent years due to injuries sustained in two near-fatal car accidents.
Mindy previously warned that Richard was on his “last chance,” eight years before the couple announced their marriage was over.
Richard Hammond’s wife Mindy ended their marriage months ago after her two horror accidents put a strain on their relationship (pictured in 2024)
Richard almost lost his life when he was involved in a 320mph crash while filming a Top Gear stunt at Elvington airfield in York in 2006.
He endured a second brush with death after his £2 million Rimac supercar fell off a hill and burst into flames while racing at high speed through rural Switzerland in 2017.
In 2006 he was hospitalized after crashing a Vampire Dragster at speeds exceeding two hundred miles per hour and fell into a coma while filming a segment for Top Gear.
Eleven years later, in the second season of The Grand Tour, Richard crashed a Rimac Concept One on a hill climb in Switzerland.
He drove the car around several times and fractured his knee.
A source told the Mail: ‘Richard has been through a lot and the knock-on effect of the accidents has impacted their relationship.
“It is understandable, given the magnitude of the accidents and the impact caused both physically and mentally, that he has done so well to recover and return to normal life.
“But he’s been changed, there’s no way around it, and his relationship with Mindy has been damaged in the aftermath.”
MailOnline has contacted Richard’s representatives for comment.
Speaking in 2022, Richard described exactly how the accidents had impacted him and considered his short-term memory loss as his biggest concern.
On Thursday, the Top Gear star shared that he and his wife have separated after 28 years of marriage, writing in a statement that they will “always be in each other’s lives.”
As part of a looming divorce battle, Mindy, 59, reportedly wants to keep her £7million Bollitree Castle in Herefordshire.
In the wake of their split, Richard was allegedly banished to his converted barn (pictured) where he kept his motorcycles, but has now moved into a rented property.
The couple’s eldest daughter, Isabella, 24, still lives on the farm and works with her father (pictured).
He said: ‘My left knee is screwed together with bolts and plates. They told me I can’t run it and it will need to be replaced.
‘It is postponing that replacement because they last a limited time.
‘I just decided “fuck it.” It may last another ten years, but I will be sick and unhappy.
“Whereas if I run with it, it’ll probably only last five years, but I’ll be healthy and happy.”
‘It hurts when it’s cold, it’s killing me this morning.
‘My short-term memory is not what it was.
‘It’s getting worse.
‘My working memory, if I’m in the studio, memorizing a script is great, it works well.
Mindy previously warned that Richard was on his “last chance,” eight years before the couple announced their marriage was over.
“My long-term memory is good, but in the short and medium term I have no idea what happened two weeks ago.”
Richard revealed that he and his wife had separated on Thursday, writing in a statement that they “will always be in each other’s lives.”
He said: ‘A little update from us; This Christmas we were together as a family and this year we will continue to be a family, but with a slightly different structure.
‘Our marriage is coming to an end, but we have spent 28 incredible years together and two incredible daughters.
‘We will always be in each other’s lives and we are proud of the family we created.
‘We will not be commenting further and sincerely hope that our privacy and that of our children are respected at this time. Love, Richard and Mindy.’
It comes after Richard was spotted without his wife on New Year’s Eve having a pint of Guinness in a Hereford pub.
The Grand Tour host was happy to take selfies with fans at the Wye Inn, but viewers couldn’t help but notice he was there without his family.
A source told MailOnline: ‘Richard came for a quiet drink with some mates and co-workers from his Smallest Cog workshop.
“His shop is well known for restoring classic cars and he clearly stays close to home.”
The split has been a shock to residents. One, who has lived in the town for 10 years, remembers running into the presenter in the supermarket.
They said: ‘Of course, it’s very sad when a marriage ends and I feel sorry for them. Yo I saw him often in Morrisons and he was happy to talk to people too. He is very well known and is often seen around the city.
Another resident said he met her when he took his daughters Izzy and Willow to a local pony club.
She said: ‘They were a lovely, close-knit family. It was quite a few years ago when the girls were older. Everyone around here knows where they live and has been part of the community since they bought the castle.
‘It’s sad that he and his wife have decided to separate. No one really knows what happens behind closed doors.