Richard Hammond’s wife, Amanda ‘Mindy’ Hammond, has reportedly ‘demanded the divorce’ from him. In a surprising turn of events, Richard, 55, and Mindy, 59, have announced they are ending their relationship after 28 years together.
The Top Gear presenter shared the news on his personal social media account, stating: “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 an 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.”
The couple first crossed paths in 1995, and according to Richard, it was love at first sight. He has previously expressed in his book that he ‘fell in love with her in an instant’.
They married in 2002 and have two daughters, Izzy and Willow. Following the announcement of their separation, a source told The Sun that Mindy was the one who initiated the divorce proceedings, reports the Mirror.
The source claimed she “wanted him gone” and added: “Richard is very upset about all this. It seems he has tried hard to rekindle the relationship but to no avail.”
Representatives for Richard Hammond have been approached by The Mirror for a statement.
Solihull-born Richard has previously described newspaper columnist Mindy as his “soul-mate and best friend for life”. The couple first caught each other’s eye back in 1995, while both were plying their trade at the same London-based PR firm.
Richard fondly remembers their initial encounter in his 2007 memoir ‘On the Edge: My Story’, where he penned: “In an instant, I fell in love with her and realised I had met my soul-mate and best friend for life.”
Tying the knot in May 2002, the pair later acquired the stunning grade II listed Bollitree Castle, complete with a swimming pool and sprawling six acres of land. They became proud parents to Isabella, now 24, and Willow, 22, and have supported one another through various challenges, including Richard’s harrowing crash in 2006.
According to a source, Mindy is asking to keep Bollitree Castle, their home in Herefordshire, as part of the divorce settlement, the Express reports.