It has been 20 years since Richard Hammond, a presenter on the BBC show Top Gear, experienced a life-altering car crash while filming an episode. At the time, Hammond was driving a jet-powered vehicle at speeds exceeding 300 miles per hour when a front tire failed, causing the car to lose control, flip, and land in a field in Yorkshire. The accident resulted in a severe brain injury, leading to a two-week coma, memory loss, and lasting psychological effects. To mark the 20th anniversary of the crash, Hammond shared an emotional post on Instagram. He described the moment as an "abrupt stop upside down in a Yorkshire field" and said he was "convinced I was about to die." He recalled the frantic moments before the crash, including pulling the lever to release a parachute and trying to steer the car away from disaster. Despite the severity of the situation, he said he did not scream and described the experience as "not frightening." Hammond detailed the aftermath of the crash, noting that his brain swelled inside his skull and that his frontal lobe was damaged due to the intense g-forces from the car's sudden stop and impact with the grassy ground. He acknowledged the media attention the incident received, but said he had no memory of it at first, only waking up with a two-minute recollection. He expressed deep gratitude to the emergency responders, including Dave Ogden, who helped pull him from the wreckage, and credited them with saving his life. In a recent interview with The Sunday Times, Hammond shared concerns about a possible increased risk of dementia due to the brain injury sustained in the crash. He mentioned his worries about the long-term impact on his brain health, though he is unsure if it is related to the accident or simply part of the natural aging process. Despite this, he has remained active in his career and personal life, including his role as a father to two daughters, one of whom is a Formula E driver. Hammond returned to Top Gear in 2007, just four months after the crash, and continued hosting the show with Jeremy Clarkson and James May until 2015, when Clarkson was fired following an altercation with a producer. The trio later formed The Grand Tour, a successor to Top Gear, but Hammond and May eventually stepped down in 2024, with new hosts joining the show. In recent years, Hammond has embraced a quieter lifestyle, taking up running and planning to participate in a triathlon. He has also begun dating therapist and school governor Keira "Kiki" Glen.