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James May, 61, suffers nasty injury after shock bike accident – as stars’ new TV show is thrown into chaos

BBG News

As a compassionate observer, it is heart-wrenching to witness Richard Hammond’s struggles with his health and memory issues. Having survived near-fatal accidents and endured serious injuries, including a frontal lobe brain injury, it’s evident that he has faced more than his fair share of challenges.

The upcoming TV series by James May, titled “The Great Explorers,” has experienced turmoil following an unfortunate bicycle mishap that left the host injured.

The renowned star from Top Gear, who is 61 years old, sustained an injury to his wrist following a fall close to Hammersmith Bridge during his preparations for a charitable cycling event.

Since the host needs some time to regain composure following the event, James mentioned that the incident significantly disrupted the momentum of his current television project.

In an update regarding his health, James shared with The Telegraph that due to his advanced age, the healing process is slower for issues like this.

One morning, I awoke with a startling realization – something I had never envisioned was now a reality: I felt… aged. It’s not just about the physical changes; it’s also my loosely hanging skin that gives me away.

Previous week, James informed his followers that he was still grappling with an injury, causing him to chauffeur instead of participate in the charity bike ride.

He told followers on X: ‘I’m taking part in a charity bicycle ride today, with the Armonico Consort and me old mate Oz Clarke (OBE). 

‘But I’m going in the car, because I bust my wrist in a bicycle accident.’

The relentless pace of their high-speed lifestyle has started to wear down James, along with Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond, his past colleagues.

The trio rose to fame living fast and free testing out supercars, performing stunts, and going on whimsical trips on Top Gear. 

However, the physical toll from their long careers – spanning 12 years on BBC’s renowned automotive program and another 46 episodes of Amazon Prime’s hit series The Grand Tour – is finally taking its effect on them.

In the last few years, James, Richard, and Jeremy have each shared different levels of information regarding their personal health challenges.

James is three years younger than Jeremy, but as recently as September, he confessed that his time traveling had made him feel rather aged and fragile.

Jeremy, too, said he felt ‘too old and fat’ to carry on.  

James admitted to GB News that his long-term physical health was a contributing factor in his decision to end The Grand Tour. He recognized that his body, strained by years of stress, could no longer withstand the demands placed upon it during the past two decades.

James mentioned that he won’t feel the strain of it as much anymore since he’s older and not as robust as he was when we first began,” he shared.

Eventually, we reached a stage where we decided it was wise to pause, while we still held an advantage. We didn’t want to continue and risk making a fool of ourselves in the process.

Regardless of whether it might finish tomorrow, as it almost did once, I’ve consistently expressed my gratitude for having had the chance in the first place.

2019 saw May express to The Sun his desire to step down, as he aimed to avoid disintegrating under the spotlight of public scrutiny.

He expressed that he’s not particularly fond of growing older. Currently, he’s in his late fifties, and to put it frankly, he feels like he’s starting to deteriorate a bit.

I’ve been experiencing nerve issues and physical discomfort, and I fear I may not be able to continue at this pace as I don’t wish to have a breakdown in public.

‘It would just be a bit undignified and I don’t think people want to see it.’

The latest among them was Jeremy, aged 64, who earlier this week had an unexpected heart surgery, as he had disclosed that he was potentially just days away from death prior to the procedure.

He looked weary in an Instagram post two days ago with the scars from his two hours on the operating table seemingly visible by what appeared to be a surgical plaster on his wrist. 

Despite not requiring a heart bypass surgery, the health alarm has prompted carnivore Clarkson to ponder over revising his diet, considering creative methods to find appeal in consuming celery.

He stated that the deterioration occurred quite suddenly following a brief swim in the Indian Ocean, leading to a beach on a tiny island, which made him feel remarkably weak or lifeless.

His health deteriorated swiftly after returning to Britain, as he started experiencing symptoms such as sweating (being clammy), discomfort or pressure in his chest, and tingling sensations in his left arm (pins and needles).

Due to the sad, recent passing of Alex Salmond following a severe heart attack, Clarkson felt compelled to schedule an appointment with his general practitioner.

On that particular day, an ambulance transported him to the John Radcliffe Hospital located in Oxford, a facility which boasts a state-of-the-art £29 million cardiology center.

He said he then went to an ‘operating theatre’ on Wednesday, after further checks, and doctors said he was perhaps ‘days away’ from death.

After arriving, a stent was implanted within him to keep his arteries expanded, enhancing blood circulation to his heart and alleviating his chest discomfort.

A stent is essentially a flexible tube made from wire mesh, used to keep arteries expanded. If an artery becomes too narrow, a medical procedure called angioplasty might be performed by a surgeon to widen it.

In this process, we carefully insert a thin wire equipped with a deflated balloon into a person via a tiny cut on their arm or leg. This wire guides the balloon towards the coronary arteries.

Jeremy explained the tiresome symptoms associated with aging, stating, “It appears that one of the arteries supplying blood to my heart is entirely blocked, while another seems to be following a similar path.

The stent, designed to potentially preserve life and prevent future heart attacks by enhancing blood circulation to the heart, was installed within approximately two hours, according to him.

The motoring journalist said: ‘It wasn’t especially painful. Just odd,’ and added that he has been thinking: ‘Crikey, that was close.’

As for Richard, he is still feeling the lasting effects from his horrific 319mph crash in 2006 filming a Top Gear stunt. 

54-year-old Richard spent two weeks unconscious following a nearly fatal accident, and he sustained severe injuries such as damage to his frontal lobe region of the brain.

This year he told The Sunday Times in a candid interview that  his memory was ‘getting shaky.

Richard has also raised fears that his injuries might have caused onset dementia.

On The Diary of a CEO podcast, he mentioned his concerns about his memory, as it’s not exceptional. He can still follow a script and present effectively, however, his long-term memory retention isn’t outstanding.

As I grow older, I find myself jotting things down more frequently to help me recall them. It’s possible this is simply a sign of aging, but I can’t rule out other possibilities. These thoughts occasionally cause me concern, and I take measures to address them diligently.

‘I should probably have a look and find out, because I do.’

Host Steven Bartlett asked him: ‘Are you scared of finding out?’

He said: ‘I am because it was a bleed on the front. It could mean there is an increased risk. I need to find out. I’ve been too scared to do it. I need to do it.

On my way here, an unexpected detour occurred due to a required medical check-up for a production. When they inquired about past accidents, I was taken aback and asked if I could have another form.

I’ve been thinking about scheduling a comprehensive health checkup, similar to a mid-life car service. I was considering requesting a thorough examination of my brain function, but I ended up not bringing it up.

As a deeply invested enthusiast, it appears that I might require an MRI scan, given my current circumstances. At the ripe age of 53, memories can sometimes feel like misplaced keys – a phenomenon often referred to as “lost key syndrome.

‘I tend to be easily distracted, often lost in thought about multiple things at once. As a result, I occasionally forget things or miss deadlines. It’s just my nature – it’s who I am.’

In the year 2017, Hammond experienced a second collision during filming for Amazon’s series The Grand Tour, which required an air ambulance to transport him to a hospital in Switzerland.

The incident occurred in the town of St. Gallen, situated in northeastern Switzerland. Unfortunately, Richard was trapped inside a Rimac supercar, valued at approximately £2 million, which subsequently caught fire after the accident.

And during his latest interview, Richard also spoke about health anxiety.

In my own experience, I find it’s no wonder we tend to avoid it. Through the practice of mindfulness, I’ve come to understand that discussing such matters becomes less daunting as I grow older.

‘You don’t have to imagine a world without you in it because you wont be in it.’

Regarding the period following the accident, Richard mentioned that he suffered from severe post-traumatic amnesia for several weeks.

‘Like a one-minute memory. Mindy my wife said I was the nicest I had ever been. Lovely apparently.

I used to find great contentment rereading the same daily newspaper numerous times a day, until Mindy decided to take it from me as she had grown tired of observing me read it repeatedly.

If someone finds themselves in a perplexed condition due to any cause, their happiness remains their own. Your role is merely to assist and provide comfort during this time, regardless of whether they recognize you or not. In my case, that’s exactly what happened.

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2024-10-24 14:55

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