Haven't you learned your lesson? Richard Hammond sets himself on fire and leaps off a bridge as he films stunts for his new show



Six years ago he had a very narrow and very lucky escape when performing a stunt that very nearly killed him.

And most people, after walking away from a 288 mph in a dragster car, would be a lot more cautious and careful about taking any unnecessary risks for the rest of their life.

But not Richard Hammond, who yesterday thought nothing of throwing himself off a bridge and setting himself on fire all for his new show.

A bit hot are you? Richard Hammond walks below a bridge in Los Angeles after being set on fire

And not doubt it left his poor wife Mindy looking on in horror as he risked his life once more for the TV cameras.



The Top Gear star was snapped in Los Angeles filming segments for the new series of his BBC America show Richard Hammond's Crash Course.

Enjoying yourself? Richard didn't seem too bothered about being on fire and looked like he was having fun

Safety first: Richard, whose face was covered in fire resistant Vaseline, was soon extinguished by a member of the crew

The show was on location at the 6th Street bridge downtown for a stunt that saw Hammond throw himself off it backwards.

He didn't look at all worried as he stood at the top and gave a thumbs up before leaping off and landing on a huge inflatable that broke his fall.

I'm ok: Richard looked like he was reassuring his crew that he was safe as one of them handed him his microphone

But he must have felt a little shaken up as he was seen shortly afterwards lighting a cigarette to no doubt calm his nerves.

And that wasn't the end of it for the daredevil - shortly afterwards he was snapped below the bridge with his body on fire.

Who wants me to jump? Richard was also seen on top of a bridge as he got ready to film another stunt for his show Crash Course

There he goes! Richard steps off the bridge...

... and opens his arms as he falls...

... before landing safely on the huge inflatable waiting to break his fall

Richard, 42, was all aflame and even had a smile on his face as he filmed another stunt, which ended with him being successfully extinguished afterwards. And he took to his Twitter page as he recalled his day and revealed another stunt that he had taken part in.

That was amazing! Richard got all animated as he described his stunt to the camera

He wrote: 'Back from today's Beverly Hills run.No tweet-fest from me today;gotta go fall off a bridge.Weird welcome in LA: thrown thru window yesterday.'

In 2006, Richard was airlifted to hospital after a stunt for Top Gear in a Vampire jet-powered dragster went horribly wrong and it spun out of control and burst a tyre at a speed of 288mph.

Bet he needed that! Richard lit a cigarette and puffed away, no doubt to calm his nerves

Unconscious, he was cut free, put in a neck brace and placed on a stretcher before the air ambulance arrived as he came round and said he had some back pain.

After five weeks in hospital he was allowed to go home but he suffered some after-effects and said he had suffered loss of memory, depression, and difficulties with emotional experiences.

Lucky escape: The Vampire jet car which crashed with Richard inside it at 288mph in 2006



