Hammond demands 'Top Gear' pay rise?

Richard Hammond has asked the BBC to double his Top Gear salary when his contract expires this summer, The Sun claims.

The 38-year-old reportedly wants to bump his pay from between £10,000 and £15,000 per show to £30,000.

A source said: "Richard's agents reckon he has become a much bigger star since his famous dragster crash. They say he's now a huge name and his salary should reflect that."

Hammond suffered a near-fatal crash in 2006 while driving a jet-powered car for the motoring show.

A friend of the TV presenter said: "Richard loves Top Gear - it's a huge part of his life and he'd never leave."

Hammond's co-host James May will also renegotiate his deal in the summer.