Former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond has traded his passion for vintage automobiles for outdoor pursuits and community involvement since relocating to a Welsh market town. The 56-year-old acquired a £2m Georgian mansion in Llanwenarth, near Abergavenny in Monmouthshire, in November 2025 following the end of his 23-year marriage. According to BBC News, Hammond has described himself as "never happier" since settling into the 19th-century property, discovering fresh reasons each week to appreciate his new surroundings.
The move came at a pivotal moment in Hammond's life. He announced his separation from wife Mindy in January 2025, just three months after his father died of cancer and around the time his 22-year broadcasting partnership with Jeremy Clarkson and James May concluded with the final episode of The Grand Tour. Entertainment Daily reported that Hammond has lost his father, dog, marriage, family home and much of the money he earned from The Grand Tour over the past two years. Before settling in Wales, he spent approximately a year at a small rented farmhouse called Camp Farm after leaving the family home.
With the Brecon Beacons National Park immediately beyond his property boundary, Hammond has embraced an active lifestyle that would have been unimaginable during his television career. He told the High Performance Podcast that he had taken up open water swimming as he becomes "braver" than he has ever been.
"The Brecon Beacons National Park is the other side of my right-hand fence," he told the Telegraph. "I can walk up the Sugar Loaf Mountain in an hour and 20 minutes or I could be getting measured for a new suit or buying a coffee in 20 minutes."
Hammond has joined an Abergavenny running club and reduced his 5k time to under 25 minutes, while also pursuing open water swimming in the Lake District alongside his new girlfriend Keira "Kiki" Glen.
"Basically, she did a triathlon and I went to support her," he told the Telegraph. "They were all having such a great time and buzzing afterwards, so I signed up for next year and got swept along."His energy levels have been restored since the move, and he emphasised that his perspective on life has fundamentally shifted. Nation.Cymru reported that Hammond said his priorities have shifted toward health, balance and time rather than wealth, adding that work is fun again but life comes first.
How is the renovation progressing?
Hammond's Georgian mansion is undergoing extensive renovation to include car garages, a padel court and guest accommodation. However, the project has encountered an unexpected complication: a survey identified eight bat species on the estate that are protected under UK law.
"I just have to work with the bats. I like bats. You don't move to where I've moved and try to stamp all the nature out."he said when discussing the discovery.
The bat survey recommendations include temporary roosts, bat-friendly features in renovated buildings, and controls on construction noise, lighting and vibration. Currently, Hammond is living in just two rooms while the rest of the house undergoes work. The proposed barn conversion cannot proceed until a protected-species development licence is secured from Natural Resources Wales, which had not received an application as of late October 2026.
What does Hammond's new life look like?
Hammond's priorities have shifted dramatically from his television days. Rather than attending the Goodwood Revival festival, he spent time sampling cheeses and whiskies at the Abergavenny Food Festival. In an October 2026 interview, Nation.Cymru reported that Hammond called Abergavenny his "forever home" and said he does not plan to move again.
Despite his departure from traditional motoring television, Hammond maintains connections to the automotive world. His daughter Izzy has inherited her father's love of cars, and the pair now co-present on the social media channel DriveTribe.
"It'd be good to see some females on those shows," he said. "Half the drivers are. TV has a role to play in representation. It's important, nobody's going to step into an arena unless they see somebody that represents them."
What is the future of Top Gear?
Top Gear, the BBC's flagship motoring show that made Hammond famous, has been off air since August 2022 when presenter Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff suffered serious injuries in a crash while filming. In August 2026, the BBC announced the show would return to screens. Hammond expressed scepticism about whether the original formula would succeed in the modern television landscape.
"The BBC will bring it back because it's an old brand, it predates us by decades," he said. "The car is the second biggest outlay people have."
Hammond suggested that his daughter might one day take a role on the revived programme, viewing it as an opportunity to improve representation in motoring television. He emphasised the importance of diverse casting in helping audiences see themselves reflected on screen.
Key Facts
- Hammond purchased the £2m Georgian mansion in Llanwenarth, near Abergavenny, in November 2025 following his separation from wife Mindy after 23 years of marriage
- Eight protected bat species were discovered on the estate, delaying renovation plans pending a protected-species development licence from Natural Resources Wales
- The presenter has taken up open water swimming and joined a local running club, reducing his 5k time to under 25 minutes
- Hammond told Nation.Cymru in October 2026 that he considers Abergavenny his "forever home" and does not intend to relocate again
- The BBC announced in August 2026 that Top Gear would return to screens after being off air since Freddie Flintoff's serious crash in 2022
