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Richard Hammond has opened up for the first time regarding his divorce following confirmation that he was parting ways from wife Mindy after 23 years of matrimony. The former Top Gear host, aged 55, discussed his challenging previous 12 months, which witnessed his marriage collapse alongside the conclusion of his most recent television programme. Whilst he acknowledged that "things change," the Solihull -born star went so far as to draw parallels between his marriage's conclusion and his notorious car accident in 2006. The incident resulted in him spending a fortnight in a coma and enduring brain trauma. Read more Sharon Osbourne's 'final gift' to Ozzy as he made heartbreaking admission about mental health Richard confessed the difficult periods share similarities. He remarked: "Whatever happens to us, we can decide. Maybe not in the moment. "I didn't decide, as the car was going over at 320mph 'I'm going to make this a good thing', but there came a moment when I thought, 'right, my reaction to this is going to be positive." In conversation with the Daily Mail, he continued: "That's what you have to do. Well, it's what I do." His comments emerge eight months following the couple's announcement of their separation. During that time, the duo issued a joint declaration, reports the Mirror . It stated: "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." In Richard's latest series, Richard Hammond's Workshop, the presenter immediately acknowledges his separation. He informs audiences that a "slight change in my circumstances" means he has relocated. "I like it. It's got amazing views," he said. "A place to keep some of my cars and bikes and best of all it's closer to the workshop. "I'm trying to put a silver lining on this. It's been a tough few years, but it's not all bad." He confessed to the publication that he still can't envision himself entering another relationship at present. He acknowledged he has also been too occupied with filming commitments to have considered it. Richard and Mindy's separation occurred during a period when he also suffered the loss of his father to cancer at 80 years old. His dad Alan passed away in October last year whilst in hospice care. The TV host kept his father's death private until after the New Year period. He reveals he occasionally still momentarily forgets his dad has gone. "It's the strangest thing," he said. "Something will be happening and I will think, 'I must go and tell dad'. "Then I realise, "Oh. I can't. My brothers feel the same thing." His remarks mirror what he had previously revealed about how, whilst the sorrow of losing his father was overwhelming, it frequently remained a gentle presence in everyday life. Speaking on his podcast earlier this year, he said: "When it hits me is when I'm pottering about doing something often inconsequential, or thinking about something big, my brain has already formed the thought, 'oh, I must tell dad' and I only sort of get... "You know when you're turning a thought into language? So the thought is there, and then I form it into words so I can communicate to myself and to the world, and it gets as far as, 'oh I must tell... oh,' and it's not a big crashing emotion, but it's a definite sense, it's a reminder, and that's the brain doing what you just described."
