Richard invites life-savers to party - 23 Nov 2020
Richard Hammond is inviting the doctors, nurses and air ambulance staff who saved his life after a near-300mph crash to a party.

The 37-year-old Top Gear presenter is holding a book signing event in Covent Garden, London, and has invited the staff along to thank them.

Nursing staff from intensive care, the neurosurgery ward and accident and emergency as well as an A and E consultant from Leeds General Infirmary are going to the Hospital Club in Covent Garden.

Elaine Andrews, the Matron responsible for neurosciences, is among those going to the event.

"Richard's accident and the huge level of interest it prompted in the care we provided for him at Leeds General Infirmary is something all the staff involved here remember very well indeed," she said.

"It will be interesting to meet him again and see him fully recovered. We are hoping to maintain a link between Richard and the hospital in the months and years to come."

Yorkshire Air Ambulance also confirmed that some of their staff would be attending the party which comes 14 months after Richard suffered a "significant brain injury" in a 288mph dragster crash.

Hammond, nicknamed the Hamster by Top Gear colleagues James May and Jeremy Clarkson, was filming for the BBC2 show at Elvington airfield, near York, when the accident happened.

His 370mph jet-powered Vampire dragster veered off the runway, flipped over several times and crashed on to grass.

He had to be airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary where he stayed for five weeks.

Hamster’s ’hangover envy’ - Sept 28 2007
Richard Hammond has reportedly declared that he actually misses hangovers, having been off the alcohol since his near-fatal crash.

The 37-year-old Top Gear presenter is taking doctors’ advice to steer clear of booze while he recovers from the accident last year.

Richard, dubbed ’The Hamster’, apparently told The Sun: "Alcohol can neurochemically affect your brain.

"I’m allowed the odd snifter, but I can’t go on the lash. I get hangover envy."

The dad-of-two is still recovering from the 288mph smash.

"It affects your whole life. Your brain defines your personality and moods," he added.

The star - who has just published his book On the Edge - recently explained: "It was a big event, it’s a long old journey. You get to the end of each week and realise you weren’t actually better, and it goes on and on.

"Whole periods have just gone. I had a 22-second memory, very confusing for weeks [but] I can daydream now, it’s all fixed. It was frightening, a real lesson for me. Damage can mend, it’s a big bowl of porridge that revives itself if you’re very lucky... which I was."



Top Gear star ’forgot he was married’ - Sept 22 2007
Top Gear star Richard Hammond forgot he was married in the aftermath of his top-speed crash - and tried to chat up his own wife.

The presenter, 37, said he thought his real wife was French.

He tells Friday Night With Jonathan Ross: "I didn’t forget Mindy, I fancied her - thank God - I attempted to chat her up."

Mindy, who has co-written Hammond’s book On The Edge: My Story, which documents life before and after the crash, said: "He didn’t believe we were married.

"He said ’you’re lovely, but I’ve got to stop talking to you because I’ve got to go back to my wife, she’s French’."

Hammond says of his recovery: "It was a big event, it’s a long old journey.