Image copyrightTHE GRAND TOUR

Ex-Top Gear host Richard Hammond has been airlifted to hospital after a crash while filming in Switzerland.

The 47-year-old was on a practice run for a race in an electric car for Amazon Prime show The Grand Tour.

Mr Hammond "climbed out of the car himself before the vehicle burst into flames," the show said in a statement.

Co-host Jeremy Clarkson tweeted that it was the "most frightening" accident he had ever seen but said Mr Hammond was "mostly OK".

The show's statement said: "Richard Hammond was involved in a serious crash after completing the Hemburg Hill Climb in Switzerland in a Rimac Concept One, an electric super car built in Croatia, during filming for The Grand Tour Season 2 on Amazon Prime, but very fortunately suffered no serious injury."

Mr Hammond, who has a fractured knee, was "conscious and talking" after the crash, the show said.

He was flown to hospital in St Gallen "to be checked over".

"Nobody else was in the car or involved in the accident, and we'd like to thank the paramedics on site for their swift response. The cause of the crash is unknown and is being investigated," the statement added.

Race organisers have told Swiss media the official race will take place as planned on Sunday.

Image copyright@JEREMYCLARKSON

In early March Mr Hammond said he had fallen off a motorbike "many times" while filming an episode of The Grand Tour in Mozambique and "banged my head".

But he also said he was "fine", although Mr Clarkson told the Sun newspaper that Mr Hammond had "hurt himself quite badly".

Mr Hammond sustained brain injuries during a crash in 2006 while filming for Top Gear.

The presenter was in a coma for a fortnight but made a full recovery.

Image copyrightTHE GRAND TOUR