Richard Hammond announces split from wife Amanda after almost three decades together

TV legend Richard Hammond has announced his shock split from his long-term wife, with reports he’s been sleeping in a barn on their estate.

Richard Hammond has announced he’s separated from his wife of 23 years, with reports he’s been sleeping in a converted barn on his family’s castle estate.

The ex-Top Gear host released a statement Thursday revealing he and Amanda “Mindy” Hammond are separating after nearly 30 years as a couple.

It is believed Mindy is asking to keep their $AU13.91 million Bollitree Castle estate, in Herefordshire, as they draw up divorce settlements.

Richard Hammond and wife Amanda Hammond have separated after 28 years together. Picture: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images

The Sun understands that newspaper columnist Mindy, 59, demanded the divorce after a source claimed she “wanted him gone”.

The news was shared by Grand Tour star Hammond, 55, on an X account shared by the pair.

“A little update from us; this Christmas we were together as a family and this year we will still be a family but just structured a bit differently,” the statement read.

“Our marriage is coming to 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.

“We won’t be commenting further and sincerely hope that our privacy and that of our children will be respected at this time. With Love, Richard and Mindy.”

A source told The Sun: “Richard is very upset about all this. It seems he has tried hard to rekindle the relationship but to no avail.

“There is no speculation that any third party is involved.”

Richard is understood to be currently staying at rented property in a quaint village nearby where he runs his ‘Smallest Cog’ car restoration garage.

Prior to this, he is reported to have been sleeping in the converted barn.

The pair first met in 1995. Picture: MJ Kim/Getty Images

Mindy is proposing Richard keeps their holiday home in Buttermere in the Lake District, and his flat in London, as part of their settlement agreement.

But she is also said to have asked for a share in their horses, and an annual stipend of $AU990,000.

Mindy has further requested a half share in his businesses; including the Smallest Cog and their TV production company Chimp Productions, of which she is a director.

The couple met in 1995 and Richard wrote previously in his autobiography, On The Edge: My Story: “In an instant, I fell in love with her and realised I had met my soulmate and best friend for life.”

After they tied the knot in 2002, the pair snapped up a grade II listed Bollitree Castle in 2008. It boasts six bedrooms, a swimming pool and 20 acres of land.

Despite Richard’s on screen presence, the pair have largely kept their relationship, and two daughters, out of the limelight.

Their eldest daughter Izzy, 24, works alongside her dad at his garage and the duo record episodes for their podcast Who We Are Now.

Meanwhile, younger sister Willow, 22, is a keen horsewoman and lives separately.

It’s estimated their father, a former Top Gear legend alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May, has a net worth of around $AU139 million.

Hammond, James May and Jeremy Clarkson co-hosted Top Gear together. Picture: AFP/Stefan Heunis

Richard, known as ‘The Hamster’ on the show, has an impressive car collection including a Ford Mustang, Porsche, Lotus Esprit Sport and a 1931 Lagona, as well as a Bentley.

In 2009 he treated himself to a $AU297,000 helicopter that he used to commute to and from his $AU4.97 million Herefordshire home.

He recently bought a $AU338,000 convertible Porsche 911 Turbo S with the personal plate DICK H which he shows off in his social media videos.

Richard found fame on local radio before landing the plum job on Top Gear and going on to present The Grand Tour on Amazon for a reported $AU13.91 million salary.

He also presented shows Brainiac and Total Wipeout.

In 2006, he miraculously survived a 288mph crash in a jet-powered car while filming a segment for Top Gear.

He was flown to Leeds General Infirmary’s neurological unit where he remained in a coma for two weeks.

It was touch and go on whether he would survive and Mindy revealed that he didn’t recognise her when he woke up.

Richard revealed that because of his brain injury he has suffered memory loss, depression and sometimes finds it hard to “connect emotionally”.

On June 10, 2017, Richard had to be flown to hospital after cheating death again in another crash in Switzerland while filming The Grand Tour.

Hammond was hurt June 10, 2017, in a "serious crash" in Switzerland but escaped with "no serious injury". Picture: AFP/ DRIVETRIBE/AMAZON PRIME VIDEO

Hammond was taken to hospital at the time, saying he only suffered a fractured knee.

He was driving a Rimac supercar worth $AU3.97 million for the Amazon show when he lost control before it flipped and then burst into flames.

Luckily, Richard escaped with only a fractured knee.

“I was aware that I was up, that I was high, that inevitably the car was going to come down, and of course there was a moment of dread, ‘Oh, I’m going to die’,” the TV star said at the time, per Drive Tribe.

This story originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission