Overview
- Jill Stein told The Times on Wednesday that a late-night car journey while Rick Stein was a student ended in a crash after he had been drinking and the car hit roadworks.
- She said an oil lamp smashed through the windscreen, emergency services were called, police breathalysed Rick, and she required life-saving surgery at hospital.
- Jill says the accident left her with permanent damage, including loss of hearing in one ear, and she described the crash as life-changing.
- The couple went on to marry, raise three sons, divorce in 2007, and remain business partners who co-founded The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow and still share credit on projects.
- Reporting notes the crash occurred during a turbulent period for Rick Stein and that he later linked the incident to a period of depression, anxiety and grief that shaped his life and career.