Richard Hammond and his wife, Amanda “Mindy” Hammond, have announced their split after an “amazing 28 years together”.
Hammond, known for motoring shows Top Gear and The Grand Tour, shared a statement on his X account from him and his wife, who he married in 2002.
Richard and Mindy at the BAFTAs in February last year[/caption]
The ex-Top Gear host has moved out of the family home[/caption]
Mindy Hammond, Isabella, Willow and Richard at the Global Champions Tour at Royal Hospital Chelsea in August 2018[/caption]
The couple said: “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.
“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.”
Wife Mindy is asking to keep the £7million Bollitree Castle estate as part of their split settlement, a close source revealed.
Hammond, worth around £70million, has moved out of the Herefordshire pile and is currently staying in rented digs in a pretty village nearby.
The ex-Top Gear presenter, 55, had been kipping in a converted barn at the mock medieval castle where the couple, who have been married for 23 years, keep a stable of thoroughbred horses.
But a source said newspaper columnist Mindy “wanted him gone”.
They added: “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.”
The Sun understands that Hammond, nicknamed Hamster by former co-presenters Jeremy Clarkson and James May, has been staying in a rented property a short drive from Hereford where he runs his ‘Smallest Cog’ car restoration garage.
The couple bought the grade II listed Bollitree Castle in 2008. It boasts six bedrooms, a swimming pool and 20 acres of land.
Their daughter Izzy, 24, still lives at the estate near Ross-on-Wye and works alongside her dad at his garage and filming podcasts.
The couple’s other daughter Willow, 22, is a keen horsewoman and lives separately in a rented home in Gloucestershire, the source revealed.
As part of the divorce settlement, Mindy is proposing Richard keeps their holiday home in Buttermere in the Lake District, and his flat in London.
But she is said to have asked for a share in their horses, and an annual stipend of £500,000.
Mindy has also asked for a half share in his businesses; including the Smallest Cog and their TV production company Chimp Productions, of which she is a director.
Hammond is said to be worth around £35million.
His car collection includes a Ford Mustang, Porsche, Lotus Esprit Sport and a 1931 Lagona, as well as a Bentley.
He recently bought a £170,000 convertible Porsche 911 Turbo S with the personal plate DICK H which he shows off in his social media videos.
Hammond 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 £7million salary.
He also presented Brainiac and Total Wipeout.
In 2006 he miraculously survived a 288mph crash in a jet-powered car while filming a segment for Top Gear.
Richard and Mindy at Cheltenham Festival in 2022[/caption]
Richard worked for years alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May on Top Gear and then The Grand Tour[/caption]
