Richard Hammond and his wife Mindy have split after 28 years together.
wife Mindy once revealed that the couple rarely enjoyed romantic trips together during their 28 years together.
On Thursday, former host Richard, 55, confirmed that after marrying in 2002. In a joint statement, the couple shared that their marriage “is coming to an end” but assured that they will “still be a family”.
Over the years, Richard and Mindy have offered glimpses into their relationship, including speaking about the which left him hospitalised for two weeks.
, Mindy joked about their lack of “romantic mini-breaks”.
She recalled an exception, when she joined Richard in France while he was working in Spain, and their children Izzy, 23, and Willow, 21, stayed behind in the UK.
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Mindy Hammond revealed that the couple rarely enjoyed romantic getaways.
Mindy penned: “Doesn’t that sound romantic? Don’t get too excited, dear reader. In our 22 years together we have managed precisely two ‘romantic mini-breaks’.
“One in the first year of our relationship when we camped in Buttermere and woke to soggy bottoms and four inches of water and the other a quick trip to Rome a couple of years ago when we were both so exhausted we found ourselves nodding off after lunch and missing most of our sightseeing time.”
She continued, hinting that their French escapade wouldn’t quite fit the “romantic mini-break” bill, as it was more of a “a fact-finding mission”.
After years of holidaying in France, they contemplated buying a property there and one particular house caught their eye.
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Richard Hammond and Mindy got married in 2002.
Teasingly, she concluded her 2017 column: “If nothing else, it encouraged us to enjoy the process of looking and so many excuses for a mini-break. Eventually, I’m sure I’ll be able to sneak in a bit of romance, too.”
In a more recent discussion about their relationship, Richard confessed that grand romantic gestures weren’t really his thing, reports .
When asked about the secret to a successful marriage, his advice was simple: “Stay connected.”
The former presenter emphasised the importance of “small times,” telling The Telegraph: “It’s not the big family holidays or 21st birthday parties or remembering your anniversaries, or treating yourself to a night in a hotel.”
Richard highlighted that it is the daily routines such as a visit to the supermarket that matter, and he elaborated: “Stay connected at that level, know what’s in the fridge, know what cleaning products you use in the house, stay connected to that.”
Richard and Mindy share two daughters.
On Thursday, Richard announced their separation through a statement from both himself and Mindy on social media.
The statement declared: “A little update from us; this Christmas we were together as a family and this year we will still be a family but just structured a bit differently.
“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 others lives and are proud of the family we created.
“We won’t be commenting further and sincerely hope that our privacy and that of our children will be respected at this time. With Love, Richard and Mindy.”
According to reports, , and Richard’s attempts to rekindle failed.
A source told The Sun that Mindy is asking to keep their £7million home, Bollitree Castle, in Herefordshire, as part of the divorce settlement.
She is also thought to be asking for a share in their horses, an annual sum of £500,000, and a share in their businesses – including the Smallest Cog car restoration garage and TV production company, Chimp Productions, of which she is a director.