Top Gear's Richard Hammond who nearly died in 320mph horror crash told BBC ... trends now
Richard Hammond revealed that he suffered 'survivor's guilt' after he nearly died in a 320mph crash during the show because he had 'begged' BBC producers to plan a challenge for him to go 'f***ing fast'.
The 54-year-old former Top Gear presenter almost died filming a stunt in a Vampire jet car at York's Elvington airfield in 2006.
One of the dragsters tyres blew, causing it to spin out of control and crash, flipping it upside down and leaving Richard with serious head injuries that put him in a coma for two weeks.
Richard said: 'I had terrible survivors' guilt, not because other people had died around me and I'd survived, which is the sort of commonly held view of it.'
The 54-year-old former Top Gear presenter almost died filming a stunt in a Vampire jet car at York's Elvington airfield in 2006
Richard revealed that he suffered with 'survivor's guilt' after the horror crash
Instead he said that he questioned whether the accident was his fault.
'I mean it was me that ran into the office, (Top Gear Executive Producer, Andy) Wilman's office at the BBC. I don't know why the idea came to me, I just ran in and said "Wilman, Wilman, I want to go real f***ing fast, really fast like proper fast".
'That's where the idea came from. Next thing you know I got a phone call from him saying "Right Rich, we've sorted this jet-powered dragster for you to have a go".
He added: 'Was it my fault, I have responsibilities, two beautiful daughters, Izzy and Willow, they're everything, and had I risked them being without a father by my rash actions?
'So I had terrible guilt until they could look at what telemetry there was on the machine and they could assure me "No Richie, your reactions were good, you did everything, there was nothing you could do beyond that point, the tyre had gone, it was an accident".'
One of the dragsters tyres blew, causing it to spin out of control and crash, flipping it upside down
The accident left Richard with serious head injuries that put him in a coma for two weeks
Describing what was going through his mind during the nearly fatal accident he said: 'as it went over, (I thought) 'well there isn't a roof, the wheels aren't on the ground, the parachute hasn't stopped it – there is nothing I can do now.
'I felt an immense sense of calm.
'It was an acceptance, the next thing that happens is I die – what other outcome could there possibly be, there's no roof on this car.'
He added: 'It wasn't frightening. I wasn't wildly unhappy. I
