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Entertainment • Television Presenter

Richard Hammond

Richard Mark Hammond is an English television presenter, journalist, and author best known for co-hosting the BBC motoring series Top Gear from 2002 to 2015.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Richard Mark Hammond is an English television presenter, journalist, and author. He is best known for co-hosting the BBC motoring series Top Gear from 2002 to 2015, and later co-presented The Grand Tour with Jeremy Clarkson and James May from 2016 to 2024.

Early life

Richard Hammond was born on 19 December 1969 in Solihull, West Midlands, England. He later became known for television presenting.

Television career

Hammond became widely known through BBC Two's Top Gear, which he co-hosted with Jeremy Clarkson and James May from 2002 to 2015. He then reunited with them for Amazon Prime Video's The Grand Tour, which ran from 2016 to 2024.

Other presenting work

Beyond Top Gear, Hammond presented or co-presented several factual and entertainment programmes, including Brainiac, Total Wipeout, Planet Earth Live, and Science of Stupid.

Public profile

Hammond's media career has made him a prominent figure in motoring and popular science television. Some sources also note his work as an author and journalist.

Key facts

  • He is best known as one of the three presenters of Top Gear alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May.
  • Hammond co-presented Top Gear from 2002 until 2015.
  • He later presented The Grand Tour with Clarkson and May from 2016 to 2024.
  • He has also presented other television programmes, including Brainiac, Total Wipeout, and Planet Earth Live.
  • Sources describe him as an author and journalist as well as a television presenter.
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Canadian context

Richard Hammond is known to Canadian viewers through international broadcasts and streaming availability of Top Gear, The Grand Tour, and related factual entertainment programming.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Richard Hammond?
Richard Hammond is an English television presenter, journalist, and author best known for Top Gear and The Grand Tour.
When was Richard Hammond born?
He was born on 19 December 1969.
What is Richard Hammond known for?
He is best known for co-hosting Top Gear and later The Grand Tour with Jeremy Clarkson and James May.
What other shows has he presented?
Sources list Brainiac, Total Wipeout, Planet Earth Live, and Science of Stupid among his other presenting credits.
Where was Richard Hammond born?
He was born in Solihull, West Midlands, England.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Hammond
    Supports: Full name, birth date, birth place, occupation, and major credits including Top Gear and The Grand Tour.
  2. Wikipedia (German) — https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Hammond
    Supports: Birth place, occupations, and additional presenting credits such as Brainiac, Total Wipeout, and Planet Earth Live.
  3. Wikipedia (Spanish) — https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Hammond
    Supports: Major television credits including Top Gear, The Grand Tour, Brainiac, Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections, and others.
  4. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1414369/bio/
    Supports: Birth date, birth place, and brief career overview.