Former Top Gear star Richard Hammond has been documenting his life on YouTube following his split from wife Mindy after 28 years of marriage as he got locked out of his house

Former Top Gear favourite Richard Hammond has hilariously dubbed himself “an idiot” after he managed to lock himself out of his own home amidst his much-awaited comeback on YouTube.

The mishap unfolded just a few weeks following the announcement of his split from his wife Mindy, after 28 years together. In a new DriveTribe video released on Wednesday, the 55-year-old TV star shared the comical tale of how his day went awry when he found himself accidentally locked out. “I’m late because I locked myself out of the house,” Hammond confessed to his fans.

“I’m actually getting ready this afternoon to go to the Lake District, I’ve got everything packed and ready, and then I thought I’ll go and empty the bins. So I took the kitchen bin out the front door – I never lock anything – but it’s a Yale lock, and the door stuck. I was stood outside, I was in my Crocs, I was in my dressing gown. I didn’t have my phone, the keys, anything.”

“It was quite panicky, and I thought, ‘What do I do now? ‘ I thought about crying, but then I thought that won’t help. I felt about 10.”, reports the Express. In a desperate bid to re-enter his house, Hammond recounted his failed attempt to break a window with a brick, quipping: “I don’t know how burglars make a living,” before admitting defeat and calling a locksmith, who breezed through the task in seconds.

Richard and Mindy have announced their split ( Image: Getty Images)

The TV star posted a video this week following their separation ( Image: Getty Images)

He summed up the fiasco by saying: “I do not know. So in the end, I had to phone a locksmith, who got in in five seconds. So in short, I’m late because I’m an idiot.” The Grand Tour’s Richard Hammond has stepped back into the spotlight with a new video, following his split from wife Mindy earlier this year.

The pair had been married for 28 years before they announced their separation in January with a heartfelt joint statement: “Our marriage is coming to an end, but we’ve had an amazing 28 years together and two incredible daughters,” they shared. “We will always be in each other’s lives and are proud of the family we created.”

The breakup comes after long-standing rumours of strain due to Hammond’s frequent travels and daring stunts for the show. The couple previously resided at the lavish £7million Bollitree Castle in Herefordshire, where Hammond had also fashioned a “man cave” out of a converted barn.

Now living in a rented home in a nearby village, Hammond continues to operate his classic car business, Smallest Cog. Meanwhile, it’s speculated that Mindy will retain the castle following their divorce.

In a revealing moment last year, Hammond gave fans a glimpse into their personal life during a tour of his barn, where he joked about breaking Mindy’s “golden rule” by housing his motorbike collection there. He quipped: “My wife swears blind it is haunted and so it is more for me and the chaps.”

In a surprising twist, despite their separation, Hammond and Mindy banded together for a festive family Christmas with their two daughters. But it appears the reconciliation was short-lived, as Mindy is said to have filed for divorce following a previous warning to Hammond that he was on his “last chance” years before.