Hammond says he knows he is very lucky Clips of the interview

In his first TV interview since the crash which almost cost him his life, Hammond told Jonathan Ross's chat show the only injuries were to his brain.

Hammond's dragster went out of control at nearly 300 mph at Elvington airfield, near York, in September.

"I was driving and then it was two weeks later and I was in Leeds (hospital)," he said.

"There was a sense of 'oh bugger'," he added.

In hospital I was completely useless Richard Hammond

"Apparently I was awake on the way to the helicopter and I got a bit fighty, I wanted to do a piece to camera, but my eyes were pointing in different directions.

"I have no recollection of that, or the first few weeks. I sort of heard stuff going on but I wasn't in it (a coma) for very long.

"I had post-traumatic amnesia, five-second memory, it happens as a result of brain injury.

"In hospital I was completely useless. I'd look at the menu and order my favourite, cottage pie.

"Five minutes later it arrived and I said that's great, it's my favourite, how did you know?"

Drinking ban

But he made a speedy recovery and instead of remaining in hospital for 15 months, as doctors predicted, he was out in weeks.

Hammond assured Ross he was completely recovered and was looking forward to returning to Top Gear.

The only long term problem, he said, was the doctors had said he could only drink small amounts of lager.

"I'm sending Mindy (Hammond's wife) to try and negotiate that," he joked.