Richard Hammond’s wife Mindy ended their marriage months ago, MailOnline can reveal.
The former Top Gear star, 55, has until recently desperately tried to save his 28-year marriage, but the couple publicly announced on Thursday that they were splitting for good.
As part of a looming divorce battle, Mindy, 59, reportedly wants to keep their £7million Bollitere Castle in Herefordshire.
In the aftermath of their split, Richard is said to have been banished to his converted shed where he kept his motorbikes, but has now moved to a rented property in a nearby village where he runs his ‘Smallest Cog’ car restoration garage.
Their shock 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 his two horror crashes 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 Airport in York in 2006.
He suffered a second death after his £2million Rimac supercar careened off a hill and burst into flames as he raced at high speed through the Swiss countryside in 2017.
In 2006, he was hospitalized after crashing a Vampire Dragster at over 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 during a hill climb in Switzerland.
He rolled the car several times and broke his knee.
An insider told the Mail: ‘Richard has been through an awful lot and the knock-on effect of the crashes has affected his relationship.
‘It is understandable, given the enormity 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 they changed him, there’s no way around it, and his relationship with Mindy has been damaged in the fallout.”
MailOnline has contacted Richard’s representatives for comment.
Speaking in 2022, Richard outlined exactly how the crashes affected him, citing his short-term memory loss as his biggest concern.
On Thursday, the Top Gear star said he and his wife have split 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 their £7million Bollitere Castle in Herefordshire.
In the aftermath of their split, Richard was reportedly banished to his converted shed (pictured) where he kept his motorbikes, but has now moved into rented property
The couple’s eldest daughter, Isabella, 24, still lives on the estate and works with her father (pictured)
He said: ‘My left knee is bolted together with bolts and plates. I was told I can’t ride it and it needs to be replaced.
“It delays that replacement because they only last so long.
‘I just decided ‘damn’. It may take another ten years, but I will be unhealthy and unhappy.
‘Whereas if I continue with it, it will probably only last five years, but I will be healthy and happy
‘It hurts when it’s cold, it’s killing me this morning.
‘My short-term memory isn’t what it used to be.
‘It’s gotten worse.
‘My working memory, when I’m in the studio and memorizing a script, works fine.
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 to medium term, what happened two weeks ago, I have no idea.”
Richard revealed that he and his wife had split 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 still be a family, just structured a little differently.
‘Our marriage is coming to an end, but we have had 28 wonderful years together and two wonderful daughters.
“We will always be in each other’s lives and are proud of the family we have created.
‘We will have no further comment and sincerely hope that our privacy and that of our children will be respected at this time. With love, Richard and Mindy.”
It comes after Richard was spotted without his wife drinking a pint of Guinness at a pub in Hereford on New Year’s Eve.
The Grand Tour host enjoyed taking selfies with fans at the Wye Inn, but onlookers couldn’t help but notice he was there without his family.
A source told MailOnline: ‘Richard came over for a quiet drink with some friends and work mates from his Smallest Cog workshop.
‘His garage is known for restoring classic cars and he clearly stays close to home.’
The split came as a shock to residents. One, who has lived in the city for ten years, remembers meeting the presenter in the supermarket.
They said: ‘Of course it’s very sad when a marriage is over and I feel sorry for them. I often saw him in Morrisons and he also enjoyed talking to people. He is very well known and often seen around town.’
Another resident said they met when he took his daughters Izzy and Willow to a local pony club.
She said: “They were a lovely, close family. It’s been quite a few years since the girls are all grown up. Everyone here knows where they live and they have 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.’