Richard Hammond in Critical Condition

Not sure where this should go but just saw this on sky news..

Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond is in a critical condition in hospital after a crash in a jet-powered car while filming for the programme.

The presenter, 36, was taken by air ambulance to a Leeds hospital which has a special neurological unit.

A North Yorkshire Ambulance Service spokesman said he was unconscious when they got to the scene but was regaining consciousness at the hospital.

A BBC spokesman confirmed the presenter had been injured during a shoot.

Source: BBC news

chamlis

I hope the Hamster's ok. Seems all the good guys are dropping these days...

muletide

There is one on motors

muletide

muletide wrote:

There is one on motors

Oh okay, its hard trying to keep track of things on this thing.

Spunog UIE

the hampster! that would be really weird cos they were joking about him being dead in the last ep' after he flipped the van. Stuff like send your cv into blahblah isdead topgear... etc

scojones

Sky News said he was in a 280 mph crash. :eek: I hope he pulls through.

Ciaran500

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Hammond#Death

Anyone confirm this?

EDIT: Removed now, hope he pulls through

CathyMoran

Was really upset to hear it - another one of those people who you hoped was invincible but is not...hope that he recovers...I really like him.

scojones

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1234566,00.html

tallus

I sincerly hope he's ok, he's a nice guy and a good sport. Great show too, it's one of my fave tv shows.

Jules

it doesnt say he is dead, oh i hope he is not, he is ssoo cool! am really quite upset... poor hammie!

1huge1

false- some asshole wrote that
its changed now

Smellyirishman

Hope he is OK.

Dave!

poor guy

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Best wishes to the guy. Rather liked him as a presenter.

projectmayhem

probably one of the best presenters in the UK right now. brainiac and top gear would be pretty empty without him so hopefully he pulls through.

latest updates say he's "critical"

sky news wrote:

Firefighter Dave Ogden, who witnessed the crash, told Sky News that the 36-year-old presenter was able to speak as he was taken out of the wreckage of the car.

hopefully that's some sort of good sign

440Hz

I ADORE him!! I hope he will be ok. I dont care if he has bleached his teeth, he is the man for me

Autobot Killa

Jesus i hope he's ok...the car flipped at 280 mph, and it has no roof.

Bateman

Heard it on Sky News, sounds pretty grim.

byte

According to BBC News 24, his condition is now said to be "stable"

Ruu_Old

Hopefully he'll be alright, shocked when I heard this. Poor fella.

aidan_walsh

byte wrote:

According to BBC News 24, his condition is now said to be "stable"

Thank God, his child-like enthusiasm is a joy to watch.

Peteee

Hopefully he'll be okay... he's a great guy!

Driving God and everything!

Pyr0

Great presenter, love him on Brainiac. He has me in fits of laughter with some of the things he says.

Sleepy

Hopefully 'stable' is good news. The man has two young kids and is one of the best presenters on telly.

I'm starting to think there's some conspiracy to get all the good ones...

Seemingly it was an attempt to break the UK land speed record and he took the car to over 300mph on his first run. :eek:

the_syco

Man, this is fúcked. First dude getting killed witht he stingray, then this dude getting killed by speed.

Dying the way they lived, eh?

bizmark

the_syco wrote:

Man, this is fúcked. First dude getting killed witht he stingray, then this dude getting killed by speed.

Dying the way they lived, eh?

Yep what better way to go?

But i guess we can ban all risk get the health and safty nazis out to ban everything that you could hurt yourself on and live like monks that would be fun!

TomCo

Wait, you guys are talking as though he were dead.

He's still alive right? Right?

Sleepy

BBC reports that his condition's stable at least...

il gatto

Hope he pulls through. He's one of the most watchable people on T.V. and seems to be a genuine nice guy,:(

scojones

Looks like he reached 300mph, deployed the shoot from the car and it went tits up from there. I hope he pulls through. 300mph! Legend!

duckegg

Ciaran500 wrote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Hammond#Death

Anyone confirm this?

EDIT: Removed now, hope he pulls through

He is on life support HOPE he pulls through [ good Guy ]

The Hill Billy

Email your messages of support to: top.gear@bbc.co.uk.

godtabh

sjones wrote:

Looks like he reached 300mph, deployed the shoot from the car and it went tits up from there. I hope he pulls through. 300mph! Legend!

bbc website wrote:

They had just done one more run and were planning to finish when it veered off to the right.

Seems he is improving

cournioni

I hope the guy is ok, my brother loves all of his shows. From what I've seen he was good at what he did and had a great personality, hopefully he pulls through.

r3nu4l

Hammond is one of the best presenters on television. The guy has infectious enthusiasm and always gives me a laugh. His dedication to all of his projects is amazing, a real inspiration!

I hope he pulls through and comes out of it all right. The guy is brilliant.

seamus

I was going to say WTF was an average joe (OK, he's not an average joe, but he's not a master F1 driver either) doing driving a vehicle that could hit those speeds, but seeing as the error was mechanical, kudos to him.

What's great about the top gear guys is if Hammond pulls through, you can see them laughing about it in a future episode and showing the footage.

r3nu4l

seamus wrote:

What's great about the top gear guys is if Hammond pulls through, you can see them laughing about it in a future episode and showing the footage.

Yeah, there'll probably be jokes about the 'mechanical error' being due to Hammond not being able to reach the brake pedal because they had to fit a booster seat thanks to the new seatbelt laws in England

Come on Hamster, you and your tippex teeth can pull through this!

Spastafarian

"He was regaining consciousness at that point and said he had some lower back pain," Mr Ogden said.

He is being treated at the specialist neurological hospital Leeds General Infirmary.

Hope he's not paralysed - doesn't sound too good.

Jimoslimos

He is being treated at the specialist neurological hospital Leeds General Infirmary.

This would indicate that he could have some sort of brain injury (as opposed to spinal cord damage/paralysis) which I sincerely hope is not the case. For the sake of Top Gear but most importantly, his family, I hope he pulls through

Spastafarian

Neurological disorders are disorders that affect the central nervous system (brain, brainstem and cerebellum), the peripheral nervous system (peripheral nerves - cranial nerves included), or the autonomic nervous system (parts of which are located in both central and peripheral nervous system). Neurologists also diagnose and treat some conditions in the musculoskeletal system.

It could be either really.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

leeroybrown

He would automatically have been brought to a specialist neurological hospital if one was available nearby. Any kind of injury involving possible heavy impact to the head/neck/spine would have been treated like this as he would need to be checked at a minimum.

The alternative would have been the possibility of an ambulance or helicopter transfer if neurological surgery was necessary.

Peaches & Creme

Please God he will be alright, has anyone any further news on his condition. I am very distraught, can not believe this!!

The Hill Billy

the_syco wrote:

Man, this is fúcked. First dude getting killed witht he stingray, then this dude getting killed by speed.

Dying the way they lived, eh?

Sh1te! Does that mean that I'll most likely go during a project management meeting? It'd nearly be worth it to see the looks on their faces.

Peaches & Creme

Hill Billy wrote:

Sh1te! Does that mean that I'll most likely go during a project management meeting? It'd nearly be worth it to see the looks on their faces.

Thats not even funny! Anyway the guy isnt dead, dont be so morbid people!!!

sdanseo

Sh1te! Does that mean that I'll most likely go during a project management meeting? It'd nearly be worth it to see the looks on their faces.

Seriously not cool.

Smellyirishman

Hill Billy wrote:

Sh1te! Does that mean that I'll most likely go during a project management meeting? It'd nearly be worth it to see the looks on their faces.

I sniggered. /shrug

Sounds like things are getting better, I am optimistic that mortality is out of the question. Hopefully everything else is sound.

Dragan

Hill Billy wrote:

Sh1te! Does that mean that I'll most likely go during a project management meeting? It'd nearly be worth it to see the looks on their faces.

Come on guys, chill out. He was commenting on himself, not the Hamster or Irwin.

Jesus!!!

The Hill Billy

Thanks Dragan - Yes, I was referring to myself.

My thoughts are of course with Richard & his family.


You other sensitive souls - apologies for upsetting you.
This may help.

ctrl-alt-delete

Dragan wrote:

Come on guys, chill out. He was commenting on himself, not the Hamster or Irwin.

Jesus!!!

My thoughts exactly, i laughed anyway!

Hope the hamster pulls through - agree with everything that has been said about him in this thread.