Anecdotes

A compulsive hoarder all his life, the comedian's collection of comics, books, CDs and poetry numbers in the thousands.

Not only is Richard "The Hamster" Hammond not a real Hamster, he's not a real Hammond Organ either.

He was awarded the 2004 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best New Musical of the 2003 season for "Jerry Springer --- The Opera", performed at the Royal National Theatre: Lyttelton and Cambridge Theatres.

He was nominated for a 2004 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Director of 2003 for "Jerry Springer --- the Opera", performed at the Royal National Theatre: Lyttelton and Cambridge Theatres.

With British musician Richard Thomas, he was awarded the 2003 London Critics Circle Award for Best Musical for "Jerry Springer, the Opera", performed at the Royal National Theatre: Lyttelton and, later, at the Cambridge Theatre.

Attended Solihull School

Named his favourite book as Arthur Machen's 1924 work "The London Adventure, or The Art of Wandering".