Richard Hammond's Real Name: Richard Hammond

Quick answer: The writer and broadcaster is known professionally as Richard Hammond. A BBC Radio 2 profile and a Hachette UK author biography both document his books, including the autobiography On the Road, and his work on Top Gear. Neither of those accounts supplies a longer legal name or a birth date.

Real name and early life

The sources used here identify him as Richard Hammond and discuss his later writing and broadcasting career; they do not record a longer legal name or a place and date of birth. The BBC profile says he began his career in BBC local radio and made his television debut on the cable channel Men & Motors before joining Top Gear in 2002. The Hachette biography independently describes him as co-presenter of Top Gear and, later, The Grand Tour, with Jeremy Clarkson and James May.

Career highlights

Both accounts treat him as a writer as well as a broadcaster. The BBC profile lists writing credits including a series of books to accompany his CBBC Blast Lab series, a weekly Daily Mirror column, and the autobiography On the Road: Growing up in Eight Journeys, which it calls his latest autobiography in that account. Hachette independently lists On the Road: Growing up in Eight Journeys — My Early Years and also names earlier bestselling books including On the Edge, As You Do, and Is It Just Me? Hachette also names the later book A Short History of the Motorcycle. The BBC page independently notes later presenting work including BBC One's Total Wipeout and science shows for children. Hachette independently mentions later BBC One documentaries on Stirling Moss and Evel Knievel. Hachette also discusses his interest in motorcycles in connection with A Short History of the Motorcycle. The BBC profile additionally describes later work as a judge and writing adviser for the Radio 2 children's writing competition 500 Words, which is consistent with the children's and popular-science writing already noted in both accounts.

Name notes for searchers

People looking up Richard Hammond are looking for the writer and Top Gear presenter whose books include On the Edge and On the Road. Hachette also names his later work on The Grand Tour with Jeremy Clarkson and James May. The sources used here do not give a longer legal name.