Richard Hammond’s Financial Struggles Post-Top Gear: How a KFC Queue Revealed Deep Worries
In a candid revelation, Richard Hammond shared the financial uncertainties he faced after leaving Top Gear in 2015. His daughter’s fears, expressed humorously in a KFC queue, highlighted the family’s concerns about their future.
Key Takeaways:
- Financial Turmoil Post-Top Gear: Richard Hammond, after departing from Top Gear in 2015, faced severe financial challenges, worrying about affording his daughters’ tuition and maintaining his private castle home.
- Daughter’s Humorous Concern: Hammond’s daughter, Izzy, humorously expressed concerns about their financial situation in public places, including a KFC outlet and a Morrisons store, bringing light to the family’s worries through her comments.
- Uncertain Future with The Grand Tour: With the potential discontinuation of The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime and the end of Jeremy Clarkson’s association with the network, Hammond faces renewed financial uncertainties, especially with his investment in a classic car restoration business.
After leaving the BBC and the widely popular show Top Gear in 2015, Richard Hammond, along with co-stars Jeremy Clarkson and James May, faced a period of financial uncertainty. This abrupt departure was triggered by Clarkson’s suspension and subsequent axing from the show due to an altercation with a producer.
The 53-year-old TV presenter found himself without any income, a situation that deeply concerned him, especially regarding the costs of private education for his two daughters and the maintenance of his private castle residence. This stress was not his alone; his daughter Izzy also shared these worries, fearing that the family might not be able to afford even basic necessities, including a KFC meal.
In a lighter vein, Hammond recounted an incident on the Fuelling Around podcast. While at a KFC with James May and his daughter, a humorous yet poignant moment unfolded.
“We got to the front of the queue, put our order in, and James typically said: ‘Oh, oh, I’ll pay Hammond’ and I said ‘no, no mate, I’ll pay’ and he said ‘no, no, no I’ll pay’.
“And there was a pause, just when the whole restaurant had gone quiet, and Izzy said: ‘Well technically lads, I should pay as you haven’t got a job between you’. And the place detonated with laughter.”
He continued:
“She obviously then thought ‘this is the best game’. So subsequently, at the end of the queue in Morrisons, as I was waiting to pay she would say very loudly: ‘Daddy, daddy, so when does your credit card stop working?’ and I’d go ‘Oh, for God’s sake,’ and again a whole store of people were in hysterics.”
The financial concerns for Hammond might be on the rise again, given that The Grand Tour has now come to an end after he heavily invested in his workshop. With the show coming to an end after the next episode, fans will be wondering what the presenter will do next.
