Richard Hammond Found Unexpected Happiness in a Rented Cottage After Marriage Split

Richard Hammond has spoken about a surprisingly happy period in his life that followed the end of his 23-year marriage to Mindy. The former Top Gear presenter, 56, detailed on the High Performance podcast how living in a rented cottage after his split was some of the happiest he had been in years.

Hammond described losing his father, his dog, his marriage, his house, and a significant portion of his earnings from The Grand Tour in the past two years. Despite these losses, he expressed a sense of liberation, stating, "And I don't give a s**t. The happiest I've been in years was living in a rented cottage, my divorce cottage."

He recounted how a friend offered him a place to stay on a large estate. "He rented me this beautiful tiny little farmhouse called Camp Farm... I lived there for like a year. I bl**dy loved it. No furniture really to speak of bits and pieces. Bit draughty in winter. But when friends came over, they came over to see me. Not the house, not the collection of cars – because that'd all gone," Hammond said.

He cherished the simple times, such as cooking Sunday roasts for many friends and having to bring outdoor tables inside to accommodate everyone. "It was just, I loved it. Absolutely adored it. Very, very happy times," he recalled.

Hammond's new relationship with therapist Kiki Glen became public in June. The new romance emerged eight months after he and Mindy announced their marriage was over. In a prior interview with The Times, Hammond spoke of his newfound happiness, which includes taking up running, playing golf, and participating in wild swimming.

Her full name is Keira Glen, and she is a therapist and a governor at Headington Rye school in Oxford. Glen has two daughters, aged 26 and 24, similar in age to Hammond's daughters, Izzy, 26, and Willow, 23.

Following his separation from Mindy, Hammond moved out of their former home, Bollitree Castle, near Ross-on-Wye, and initially relocated to the rented property before starting a new life in Wales. He had previously described 2025 as a "year from hell" due to the "devastating" collapse of his marriage.

Hammond's physical and mental well-being had been impacted by injuries sustained in two serious car crashes. In 2006, he was hospitalized after crashing a Vampire Dragster at over 200 mph, resulting in a coma. Eleven years later, during the filming of The Grand Tour, he crashed a Rimac Concept One, fracturing his knee.

An insider previously suggested these accidents had affected his relationship with Mindy. Despite the divorce, Richard and Mindy have maintained civility, appearing together at their daughter Willow's university graduation. They released a joint statement announcing their separation in January 2025, stating, "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."