Richard Hammond’s daughter, Izzy, has candidly labelled her father an ‘idiot’ while reflecting on the perilous nature of his career.
The television presenter, known for his daring stunts on Top Gear and The Grand Tour, has been involved in multiple accidents over the years.
Notably, a severe crash in 2006 during a Top Gear shoot left him in a coma with a brain injury, requiring weeks of intensive care. His wife Mindy, from whom he has recently separated, was steadfast by his side throughout this ordeal.
Richard himself has previously mentioned that Mindy’s “screaming” at his bedside may have played a role in rousing him from the coma. In a 2022 YouTube video, he mused over the intense “dream” he had while under heavy sedation towards the end of his coma, imagining himself walking in the Lake District.
Izzy has also spoken out about the impact of her father’s career on family life, noting his frequent absences during her upbringing due to filming commitments.
Her comments came during an appearance on Ben Fowler’s podcast Road To Success, shortly before the public learned of her parents’ separation, reports the Mirror.
When posed with the question, “Would you call your dad a daredevil or an idiot? ” her response was unequivocal.
She admitted: “He’s an idiot. He has that thing that racing drivers have where they just don’t have the fear. Everyone has that line where it’s like ‘Okay I know where the line is’, he just doesn’t have that. He really genuinely would just go and go and go.”
Speaking on the podcast, Izzy reflected on her relationship with her absentee father due to his filming commitments, saying: “He wasn’t there a lot and that’s all I really knew growing up.”
Richard and Mindy left fans stunned with the announcement of their separation after 28 years of marriage. In a statement they 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.”