Jeremy Clarkson had 'head dislodged from spine' during brutal Top Gear stunt
It’s fair to say Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May clocked up a fair few injuries during their 13-year tenure on Top Gear.
Between 2003 and 2015, the trio ruled the small screen and brought iconic moments such as racing on Bolivia’s Death Road and destroying each other’s caravans.
In 2006, Hammond, 54 was seriously injured while filming for Top Gear in a Vampire dragster at former RAF Elvington Airfield.
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The 320mph car crash caused him to suffer a brain injury that he claims has started to affect his memory.
But he isn’t the only presenter on the BBC co-host to experience a serious knock to the head.
In 2008, Clarkson, 64, decided he wanted to try out being a truck driver to determine how ‘difficult’ driving a large Renault Magnum truck would be.
As part of the task, he was asked to drive the machine into a brick wall.
The stunt caused the Clarkson’s Farm star to sustain serious injuries, including his ‘head being dislodged from [his] spine.
During an episode of the beloved motoring show, he elaborated: “My ankle burst where the clutch pedal went through the wall," he said later in the episode.
"And my head was dislodged from my spine due to the impact."
He also suffered heavy bruising to his back and shin, with an index finger that looked like a 'burst sausage'.
Issuing a statement at the time, a Top Gear spokesperson said: "Before the stunt was carried out a full health and safety assessment was carried out."
They added that the father-of-three later ‘made a full recovery’ from the bizarre incident.
Clarkson has since shared further details about the ordeal and it seemed as though his injuries were worse than we initially thought.
"I emerged from my high speed head-on impact in what can only be described as screaming agony,” he told The Sun. “I couldn't walk. I couldn't talk. I couldn't think.”
Before exiting the BBC show for Amazon Prime Video in 2015, Clarkson also broke his thumb and slipped two discs in his spine in two separate incidents.
Last year, a former Top Gear car builder claimed that the show would do 'all kinds of crooked s**t'.
Back in May, John Hennessey appeared on the popular Joe Rogan Experience podcast and said: "They just want eyeballs, so the more controversial you know.
"One time with Jeremy was driving this truck and they were like 'what would happen if we ran into a brick wall?'.
"You're gonna go to the hospital and get broken ribs. They'll do anything.
As to why Clarkson agreed to do the questionable stunt, Hennessey claimed he would do anything 'for attention'.
Topics: Jeremy Clarkson, BBC, Top Gear, Richard Hammond, TV, Cars
Ella Scott