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Richard Hammond has spoken for the first time about his divorce after confirming he was splitting from wife Mindy after 23 years of marriage. The former Top Gear presenter, 55, spoke about his tough past 12 months, which saw the breakdown of his marriage as well as his latest TV show come to an end.

While he said “things change,” Richard went as far as comparing his marriage ending to his infamous car crash in 2006. The incident left him in a two-week coma and suffering brain injuries.

And Richard admitted the tough times have comparisons. He said: “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.”

Speaking to the Daily Mail, he went on: “That’s what you have to do. Well, it’s what I do.”

His words come eight months after the pair revealed their split. At the time, the pair released a joint statement.

It read: “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 new series, Richard Hammond’s Workshop, the star immediately addresses his break up. He tells viewers that a “slight change in my circumstances” mean he has moved.

“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 admitted to the publication that he still isn’t picturing himself in another relationship just yet. He admitted he has also been too busy filming to have given it a thought.

Richard and Mindy’s divorce came at a time when he also lost his dad to cancer at the age of 80. He died in October last year in a hospice.

The presenter didn’t make his dad Alan’s death public knowledge until after New Year. And he admits he sometimes still forgets his dad isn’t around.

“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 comments echo what he had previously shared about how, although the grief of losing his father was immense, it often remained a subtle presence in daily 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.”

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Former Eurythmics singer Annie Lennox celebrated the 39th anniversary of the release of the band’s album Sweet Dreams earlier this week, but she has faced a number of health issues in recent years

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Annie Lennox, 70, achieved international fame thanks to her hit Sweet Dreams as part of the band Eurythmics, but has struggled with a number of health battles behind the scenes. She shot to fame with Dave Stewart in the 1980s but life after her success hasn’t always been smooth sailing.

The singer confessed that she had been dealing with complications from a surgery she underwent over a decade ago. A couple years later, Annie has now revealed she is neurodivergent after being recently diagnosed with ADHD.

She decided to open up on her diagnosis while on BBC Women’s Hour and she told presenter Nuala McGovern that she passed the test with flying colours. “I’m a magpie, I observe things, I’m highly sensitive,” Annie said on the BBC Radio 4 show.

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“And I found out that I actually am a bit neurodivergent. And it’s explained a great deal to me about how my mind works and how other people with ADHD, how their mind works.

“It’s not an easy thing to live with but it’s also a superpower. I think it does bring brilliance – I’m not saying that I am brilliant, but I’ll take that!”

In 2019, Annie opened up to fans about her health as she revealed she had a back operation years before. “Over a decade ago I had to have a back operation and a lot of things changed after that,” she shared.

“Long story.. but I occasionally suffer from excruciating nerve pain, which comes in with vengeance when I least expect it.”, reports the Express. “It hit over New Year and I’m hoping it will settle down as I go into the 3rd day.”

A few days after her initial post, she revealed that she could no longer tour due to “such physical challenges”. It all started in 2008 at an AIDS conference in Mexico, when the singer experienced a back spasm.

Annie was quickly flown back to London for spinal surgery to relieve a trapped nerve, according to a spokesperson for Sony BMG. A trapped nerve, which can occur when excessive pressure is applied to a nerve by surrounding muscles, bones, cartilage or tendons, often results in pain, tingling, numbness or weakness.

Despite undergoing surgery, she has been plagued with lingering pain. While recuperating, the star shared on her blog: “Got an MRI scan this morning and am now sitting up in bed with my left foot like a dead fish.”

She admitted to the Scotsman that she had developed a limp, but remained optimistic, stating it “ain’t bad” considering she initially feared being “permanently disabled” after experiencing back pain in Mexico.

Nerve pain, or peripheral neuropathy as referred to by the NHS, pertains to disease or dysfunction of one or more of the “peripheral” nerves. There are several main types of peripheral neuropathy, including motor neuropathy which typically affects the legs and can cause a limp.

Symptoms of this condition include twitching and muscle cramps, muscle weakness or paralysis affecting muscles and thinning of muscles. Although Annie didn’t disclose the specifics of her neuropathy, these symptoms align with her experiences. Foot drop, a condition where the front part of your foot or toes struggle to lift, is another symptom.

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