Top Gear Star Making Progress, BBC News reports
Posted on 09/22/2006 under: News
Top Gear's Richard Hammond is out of intensive care and is making "satisfactory progress", BBC News reports. The 36-year-old presenter suffered a "significant brain injury" when he crashed a jet-powered car at a speed of up to 300mph during filming. Doctors at Leeds General Infirmary, where he has been since Wednesday, said his condition was now "stable".
Event organisers insisted that proper safety precautions were taken.
A Leeds General Infirmary spokesman said: "Doctors say Richard Hammond is making satisfactory progress.
"This morning he has been moved from intensive care on to a high dependency unit.
"His condition has been downgraded from 'serious but stable' to 'stable'."
The doctors treating Mr Hammond have previously said they are "reasonably optimistic" he will make a good recovery.
Mr Hammond's wife Mindy was at his bedside in the Leeds hospital and he was also visited by Top Gear co-hosts Jeremy Clarkson and James May.
Mr Clarkson told the Sun newspaper that he had insulted Mr Hammond's driving skills - prompting a smile from Mr Hammond.
He also said the presenter had no visible injuries following the ordeal he had been through other than a black eye.
The presenter had been driving a jet-powered dragster similar to the Vampire - used by Colin Fallows to set the British land speed record of 300.3mph.
Source: BBC News
