Richard Hammond is set to make his first public appearance after he was fined for speeding, with police having hunted the TV presenter down to three addresses.
The presenter worked with Oxfordshire farmer Jeremy Clarkson and James May on the BBC’s Top Gear and, latterly, Prime Video’s The Grand Tour for 22 years before calling time in 2024.
Mr Hammond was also in his co-star’s county last summer when he visited Woodstock for Salon Privé, which was hosted at Blenheim Palace.
The star is a well-known face in Worcestershire, having previously enjoyed watching the football at a Worcester pub, and launched several events and attractions.
However, it has now been announced that the 56-year-old will return for the Woodstock for Salon Privé event, making a public appearance in Oxfordshire, with guests having the opportunity to meet Richard during multiple bottle-signing sessions.
READ MORE: Jobs lost as major UK firm to close over 130 stores after 59 years trading
Meet-and-greets will be included as part of the event’s general admission, and Mr Hammond will also take part in an exclusive Q&A session.
Mr Hammond said: “Salon Privé is one of my favourite events to attend.
“The cars are extraordinary, the setting at Blenheim Palace is hard to beat, and it’s full of people who genuinely love motoring.
“I had a fantastic time last year, so I’m obviously delighted to be coming back for Salon Privé’s 21st year.
“What makes Salon Privé so special is that it’s not just about seeing incredible machinery; it’s about meeting the people who own and love them too.
READ MORE: Emotional Mary Berry, 91, admits she’ll be ‘in heaven’ as she opens up
“I’m looking forward to another great weekend, seeing some exceptional clubs and collections, and sending everyone home with a renewed buzz having spent the day among some of the world’s most incredible cars.”
David Bagley, co-founder of Salon Privé, said: “We’re thrilled to bits to welcome Richard Hammond back to Salon Privé after such a fantastic response from visitors last year.
“Of course he’s one of the world’s best-known motoring personalities, but more importantly he’s a genuine enthusiast, and that is palpable every time he talks about cars.
“Having Richard with us across the whole weekend gives visitors plenty of opportunity to interact with him, whether that’s watching him judge the Concours de Vente, attending his Q&A or visiting his chalet.
“He’ll be a huge part of what promises to be a fantastic weekend at Salon Privé Blenheim.”
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson and Christian Horner team up to raise over £1m
This comes straight after the news that Mr Hammond was fined £999 for speeding crimes at the end of 2025.
The 56-year-old was at the wheel of a Porsche when he broke the speed limit on December 2 last year before he was caught out again just 20 days later while driving a Bentley.
West Mercia Police brought two prosecutions against Mr Hammond, putting forward the speed camera images of him driving the cars in Herefordshire to prove the offences.
Court papers also reveal how police spent weeks sending letters to Mr Hammond’s multimillion-pound portfolio of homes in a bid to track him down.
The presenter pleaded guilty through his lawyers to two charges of speeding, and at Telford Magistrates’ Court, he was handed seven penalty points on his licence.
READ MORE: ‘Devoted’ husband and father, 74, killed in Cotswolds fire
Magistrate Ann Minton ordered him to pay a total of £1,771, comprising two fines of £333 and £666, £240 in costs and victim surcharges totalling £532.
Documents from his court case show Mr Hammond was caught out by a police officer with a handheld speed camera just before 1pm on December 2 last year.
His Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo was clocked at 68mph in a 50mph limit on the A40 in Pencraig, Herefordshire.
At around 11.45am on December 22, Mr Hammond’s Bentley Continental GT was speeding at 82mph in a 70mph limit on the A50 Rudhall Overbridge in Herefordshire.
Police chased up the 56-year-old with speeding tickets, sending these to three £1 million or higher properties associated with the TV presenter.
READ MORE: Lisa Hogan reveals how she met her boyfriend Jeremy Clarkson
These included a Grade II* listed Herefordshire castle bought by Mr Hammond in 2012, and a £1 million farm estate near Hereford, but the letters were returned marked as “addressee gone away”.
Eventually they tracked him down to his £2 million mansion near Abergavenny in Wales, where it was noted more than 30 vehicles are currently registered.
Police also set out in court papers that Mr Hammond had been accused of another driving offence in August last year.
Mr Hammond was prosecuted for two offences of speeding and two further allegations that he had ignored the police letters and failed to identify himself as the guilty driver.
In a letter to the court, the presenter’s solicitor pleaded guilty to the speeding charges and denied the other two offences, writing: “He replied identifying himself as the driver. He sent the reply by First Class post. He posted the reply himself.”
The police force opted to withdraw those extra charges, as Mr Hammond was prosecuted and convicted for the speeding offences in the Single Justice Procedure – a fast-track court process which allows magistrates to sit behind closed doors to deal with low-level criminal cases.
