Richard Hammond is a British television presenter and automotive journalist born December 19, 1969, in Solihull, England, who gained international fame co-hosting Top Gear from 2002 alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May. Known as “The Hamster” due to his 5’7″ stature, Hammond survived several high-profile motoring accidents, including a 2006 brain injury during filming. He later co-hosted The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime Video and presented various programs including Brainiac: Science Abuse, establishing his influence on automotive culture and science communication through detailed explorations of his career.
Richard James Hammond, a British television presenter and automotive journalist, has established himself as one of the most recognizable figures in motoring entertainment through his work on internationally acclaimed programs such as Top Gear and The Grand Tour. Born December 19, 1969, in Solihull, England, Hammond grew up as the eldest of three brothers in a family where his father worked as a pharmacist, while his grandparents were employed in Birmingham’s car industry.
Richard Hammond transformed from pharmacy family roots into Britain’s most beloved motoring entertainer through Top Gear and Grand Tour fame.
During the mid-1980s, his family relocated to Ripon, North Yorkshire, where Hammond continued his education at various institutions including Blossomfield Infant School, Solihull School, Ripon Grammar School, and Harrogate College of Art and Technology.
Hammond’s broadcasting career began in radio during the 1990s, working at BBC local stations including Radio York, Radio Cumbria, and Radio Lancashire, where his engaging presentation style attracted attention from television executives. Before entering media, his first employment involved manual labor, specifically shoveling grit into a water filtration plant, demonstrating his humble beginnings before achieving national recognition.
His shift from radio to television included regional programming work that eventually led to opportunities on national broadcasts. The pivotal moment in Hammond’s career occurred in 2002 when he joined Top Gear as co-host alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May, contributing considerably to the show’s transformation into a global phenomenon that reached millions of viewers worldwide. Hammond was nearly fired after the first series of the 2002 Top Gear revival but was saved while his co-presenter Jason Dawe was dropped.
His adventurous segments, including racing cars against planes and undertaking desert expeditions, combined with his energetic persona and relatively short stature of 5’7″, earned him the nickname “The Hamster,” which became widely recognized in popular culture.
Beyond Top Gear, Hammond expanded his television presence by hosting Brainiac: Science Abuse from 2003 to 2008, presenting the game show Total Wipeout between 2009 and 2012, and fronting Planet Earth Live in 2012. These diverse programs demonstrated his versatility across entertainment and factual content, establishing him as a prominent figure in British television.
Following Top Gear, Hammond co-hosted The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime Video from 2016 to 2024, maintaining his partnership with Clarkson and May while continuing their motoring adventures. He also co-founded DriveTribe, an automotive social media platform, expanding his influence into digital media beyond traditional broadcasting.
Hammond’s career has been marked by survival of several high-profile motoring accidents, which increased public interest in his personal life. In 2006, he suffered a brain injury from a devastating crash while driving a jet-powered car during Top Gear filming. He has authored multiple books related to automotive topics and is widely regarded as one of the most influential car journalists of the 21st century, inspiring aspiring presenters and contributing considerably to automotive culture and science communication.
