Richard Hammond has disclosed the significant personal and financial toll of the past two years, admitting he lost a substantial portion of the wealth he accumulated from The Grand Tour. The former Top Gear host has faced a series of major life upheavals, including the end of his 28-year marriage to Mindy Hammond.
Losses and Newfound Contentment
During an appearance on the High Performance podcast with Jake Humphrey, the 56-year-old discussed leaving elements of his previous life behind and explained how he has been rebuilding his life independently.
He said: "Don't forget, I've also, in the last two years, lost my father, my dog, my marriage, my house [laughter] and a chunk of the money I earned from The Grand Tour."
Despite the turmoil, Richard maintained he had discovered happiness in a remarkably modest setting, stating: "The happiest I've been in years was living in a rented cottage, my divorce cottage."
Life in a Modest Farmhouse
Richard recounted reaching out to a friend who owned a large estate to ask about accommodation after abruptly leaving his previous residence. He was then offered a modest farmhouse named Camp Farm, where he lived for about a year.
Reflecting on his time there, he acknowledged the property was sparsely furnished and could get cold during winter, yet he cherished the experience. Richard revealed that when friends came round, they were there to enjoy his company rather than admire his property or car collection.
He even prepared Sunday roasts for gatherings of around 14 guests, creating space by moving furniture and bringing an outdoor table indoors. He said: "And I lived there for, like, a year, and I bloody loved it."
Company Liquidation and Financial Risks
His remarks come as a firm linked to the presenter went into voluntary liquidation after 18 years of trading. Hamster's Wheel Productions, established by Richard and his ex-wife Mindy in 2008, was placed into liquidation last month.
Records lodged at Companies House show the business has £2.3 million and is owed a further £1.45 million, with an additional £176,573 recoverable from the Government in corporation tax payments. The winding-up came after the pair's split following nearly three decades of marriage, with the business having been involved in television projects including Richard Hammond's Blast Lab, Wild Weather and Lab Rats.
Richard also opened up about the funds he put into his other business venture, Richard Hammond's Workshop, which chronicles his classic car restoration enterprise. During the podcast, Jake raised the latest series and highlighted that Richard had invested £500,000 of his own money into the business.
Richard responded: "And since then, I've got divorced. So it's not altogether brilliant." The broadcaster acknowledged the endeavour carried genuine financial risk, noting the latest series would focus on recruiting individuals with specialist expertise.
His circumstances have not been entirely bleak, however. Richard revealed earlier this year that he had entered a new relationship following the breakdown of his marriage. Discussing his evenings in a column for The Telegraph, the former Top Gear presenter said: "I tend to eat relatively early. Sometimes it's just me; sometimes I'm with my girlfriend; sometimes friends are still around. I'm perfectly happy with a quiet evening watching television."
