Richard Hammond might be best-known for co-hosting car programme Top Gear alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May, but his interest in science has lead to him fronting shows such as Brainiac: Science Abuse on Sky1 and Richard Hammond's Blast Lab on CBBC. As he prepares to unleash his DVD edition of Blast Lab, I caught up with the star for a chat.
Okay, so Richard, how are you?
Very, very well thank you, very well indeed how are you?
I’m freezing Richard! Autumn is my favourite too, but I’m not liking it at the moment.
It’s my favourite too, I love the crispness of it all.
Yes! I’m with you on that, anyway tell me about this new DVD, Richard Hammond’s Blast Lab Blow-Ups!
Well it’s an intellectual feast… it’s the box set of my TV science show that I make which is set in my underground, top secret laboratory and the DVD is an extension of that rally, we wanted to show people what really goes on in my lab and with my lab rats.
Oh Richard, I feel sorry for the little lab rats…
Don’t do that! You mustn’t! they tear around and do stuff and we also do things like the lab academy, and we have an award ceremony and we do things on a bigger and slightly more ridiculous scale than in the programme, which has all been quite fun.
Is sounds pretty crazy, I always wanted to go on a kids show when I was little… I was pretty rubbish at science though so I’d probably have been rubbish at this…
Well, I sort of excluded myself from science, I was like a lot of kids… good at art and English so then I thought science wasn’t for me. You don’t need to want to grow up and be a scientist, it’s about understanding how and why things do what they do and how the world works.
The show gives children and adults permission to access that… even the crew have learnt things! The number of times a camera operator has looked at me as if to say “I didn’t know that” is amazing!
Aww, you’re like our favourite teacher! So, did you attempt any of the tasks yourself? (how did you do?)
Erm, not in the likelihood of me being hurt or uncomfortable… I have lab rats for that kind of things. I like to stand back and watch… we look back on the best bits on the DVD too, it’s great!
When I was in school I couldn’t even pick up the hydrochloric acid, I was far too scared.
Well you want to be careful of those things, you need to find some lab rats to do that kind of stuff for you - hat’s the joy of having an underground labority, you can get lab rats to do it for you and I can stand behind a protective screen.
It’s quite a fun way for children to learn more about science, is that why you decide to get involved, because you’re CV must be full to bursting point now?
Well yes it is, but there’s a common element through it which is that the shows are honest to what they’re supposed to be. I really wanted to make a science show for kids which they could enjoy and get involved.. If they can learn something by getting something blown up or someone covered in custard then they love that! Myself and the team are all so proud of it.
It is pretty awesome, I know I would have love to have been involved in something like that when I was a kid, science lessons were so dull!
Well all it does is make a few children feel like they have permission to be interested in the subject - they might want to be a footballer or a famous chef - but nevertheless science has an impact on the world around us, so we should take an interest.
So how did you find working with kids?
It’s immense, it really keeps you on your toes… it’s the hardest work because of the amount of things to make sure you’re saying something which is factually correct because if you say it is, then it must be because these kids are going to believe you.
And how do you enjoy presenting on your own rather than as part of your famous trio?
Well I’ve been doing this job for 20 years now, Top Gear is a show I love but there are other things I’ve done on my own, I love all aspects of my job, I’ve been working alone since 1988 when I first started…
Bloody hell Richard, that was when I was one!!
Oh no! Don’t say that! I’ve had a lot of time to pack it all in and I’ve been very lucky… I owe a tremendous debt to Top Gear because it’s put me on the map and has escalated my profile no end, it made me bigger and I am able to cherry pick what I do and do things I really believe in such as Blast Lab.
So, your CV is one I would kill for my the time I’m your age, but if the Beeb could only pay you for one show, would you stick to driving cars, watching people fail dramatically on giant obstacle courses or continue to play a mad scientist?
I don’t know! If the BBC did say that and blamed it on the credit crunch it would be rather ironic because they’re one of the few institutions that isn’t affected by it. And secondly I love each of the jobs I do, I could never choose, I really, really don’t know because they are so different shows, all of which has tremendous themes. I am very, very lucky to be able to do all of them.
There will be a whole generation who know you as ‘That bloke from Blast Lab’ now instead of ‘him from Top Gear’
I know! When we started we were planning it and we had a big meeting and we were talking about kids tv shows we watched and how much impact they had on us, there were about four that we all thought ‘oh my God, that was amazing’ so we know if we made it right people should be able to look back in 10 years time and hopefully remember it fondly.
Aww, now to touch upon your other show Total Wipeout and it seems very dangerous…
Well it’s not that dangerous for me… I just sit on a stool! Haha!
Well I was going to lead into this next question there…. Have you had a go?
Oh sorry! Haha, I have had a go yes… I got across the big red balls… it was quite easy I don’t know what the fuss is about! Haha, no on a serious note, it is very terrifying, I know people watch it and wonder what all the fuss is about, but it is scary! But it really is terrifying you know, standing on a podium with something coming towards you is horrible, so I give full credit to everyone who’s done it!
You need a celebrity version!
We’ve done one! It will be out at Christmas! Everyone wants a go… everyone stands in front of the balls thinking they can get across, but the next thing you know they take one step and they’re upside down and in the water, and that’s the joy of watching it!
So, you’re clearly best known for your role on Top Gear, which does seem like the best job in the world! Now, I’m thinking of buying a new car, so now I’ve got you on the phone, you have to tell me what to get! I really want a C3...
Well they’re nice little cars… if you like it get one on the scrap page scheme, what would you be scrapping?
A Ford Fiesta, it’s called Rob Burgandy.
But does it still work other than that?
Yes…
Well keep it! [FF: but Richard, he just keeps breaking] no! you can’t get rid of him, im going to make a campaign for you to keep Ron, leave him alone! You can get him fixed… he will cost you a lot less than replacing the car!
Aww, thanks for that Richard! I’m going to take Ron to the hospital now!
FemaleFirst - Ruth Harrison
Richard Hammond might be best-known for co-hosting car programme Top Gear alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May, but his interest in science has lead to him fronting shows such as Brainiac: Science Abuse on Sky1 and Richard Hammond's Blast Lab on CBBC. As he prepares to unleash his DVD edition of Blast Lab, I caught up with the star for a chat.
Okay, so Richard, how are you?
Very, very well thank you, very well indeed how are you?
I’m freezing Richard! Autumn is my favourite too, but I’m not liking it at the moment.
It’s my favourite too, I love the crispness of it all.
Yes! I’m with you on that, anyway tell me about this new DVD, Richard Hammond’s Blast Lab Blow-Ups!
Well it’s an intellectual feast… it’s the box set of my TV science show that I make which is set in my underground, top secret laboratory and the DVD is an extension of that rally, we wanted to show people what really goes on in my lab and with my lab rats.
Oh Richard, I feel sorry for the little lab rats…
Don’t do that! You mustn’t! they tear around and do stuff and we also do things like the lab academy, and we have an award ceremony and we do things on a bigger and slightly more ridiculous scale than in the programme, which has all been quite fun.
Is sounds pretty crazy, I always wanted to go on a kids show when I was little… I was pretty rubbish at science though so I’d probably have been rubbish at this…
Well, I sort of excluded myself from science, I was like a lot of kids… good at art and English so then I thought science wasn’t for me. You don’t need to want to grow up and be a scientist, it’s about understanding how and why things do what they do and how the world works.
The show gives children and adults permission to access that… even the crew have learnt things! The number of times a camera operator has looked at me as if to say “I didn’t know that” is amazing!
Aww, you’re like our favourite teacher! So, did you attempt any of the tasks yourself? (how did you do?)
Erm, not in the likelihood of me being hurt or uncomfortable… I have lab rats for that kind of things. I like to stand back and watch… we look back on the best bits on the DVD too, it’s great!
When I was in school I couldn’t even pick up the hydrochloric acid, I was far too scared.
Well you want to be careful of those things, you need to find some lab rats to do that kind of stuff for you - hat’s the joy of having an underground labority, you can get lab rats to do it for you and I can stand behind a protective screen.
It’s quite a fun way for children to learn more about science, is that why you decide to get involved, because you’re CV must be full to bursting point now?
Well yes it is, but there’s a common element through it which is that the shows are honest to what they’re supposed to be. I really wanted to make a science show for kids which they could enjoy and get involved.. If they can learn something by getting something blown up or someone covered in custard then they love that! Myself and the team are all so proud of it.
It is pretty awesome, I know I would have love to have been involved in something like that when I was a kid, science lessons were so dull!
Well all it does is make a few children feel like they have permission to be interested in the subject - they might want to be a footballer or a famous chef - but nevertheless science has an impact on the world around us, so we should take an interest.
So how did you find working with kids?
It’s immense, it really keeps you on your toes… it’s the hardest work because of the amount of things to make sure you’re saying something which is factually correct because if you say it is, then it must be because these kids are going to believe you.
And how do you enjoy presenting on your own rather than as part of your famous trio?
Well I’ve been doing this job for 20 years now, Top Gear is a show I love but there are other things I’ve done on my own, I love all aspects of my job, I’ve been working alone since 1988 when I first started…
Bloody hell Richard, that was when I was one!!
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