Revealed: The emotional moment paralysed stuntman Eddie Kidd salutes a procession of motorbikes from a convertible driven by Paddy McGuinness in new Top Gear series

 Paddy McGuinness celebrates his hero, former stunt rider Eddie Kidd, with a road trip and by leaping through a ring of fire in the new Top Gear series.

The comedian, 48, and his co-hosts - Chris Harris, 46, and Freddie Flintoff, 43 - will be seen honouring the acclaimed driver, 62, who worked on multiple James Bond movies, and was left paralysed and with brain damage after an accident in 1996.  

In the first episode of the new series, due to air tomorrow night,  McGuinness, 48, can be seen driving down an open road in a convertible car with Kidd in the passenger seat.

A procession of motorbikes then stream by the car to pay tribute to the great rider, with Kidd saluting them as they pass. Paddy McGuinness, 48, celebrates his hero, former stunt rider Eddie Kidd, with a road trip and by leaping through a ring of fire in the new Top Gear series

Paddy McGuinness, 48, celebrates his hero, former stunt rider Eddie Kidd, with a road trip and by leaping through a ring of fire in the new Top Gear series

In the first episode of the new series, due to air tomorrow night, McGuinness, can be seen driving down an open road in a convertible car with Kidd in the passenger seat

In the first episode of the new series, due to air tomorrow night, McGuinness, can be seen driving down an open road in a convertible car with Kidd in the passenger seat

McGuinness says in the voiceover: 'It was time to show Eddie that trail he blazed, and that meant taking a little drive.' 

Discussing meeting his hero, McGuinness said: 'When you're talking to him, you totally still see that glint in his eye.

'It's nice that we can do stuff like that on Top Gear. It takes you (away from) us being outlandish and doing silly stunts or what have you.

'In the film he trolls me quite a lot. He's really sharp - and I didn't care what he said to me or if he took the mickey out of me.'

The acclaimed driver, 62, who worked on multiple James Bond movies, and was left paralysed and with brain damage after an accident in 1996.

The acclaimed driver, 62, who worked on multiple James Bond movies, and was left paralysed and with brain damage after an accident in 1996.

Fellow presenter Flintoff said the stuntmen and women of today often cite Kidd as the 'benchmark'.

Reflecting on Kidd's achievements, he added: 'The first person to do all that is the one who's the bravest.

'He's doing something you're not sure can possibly be done and he's the one out there and he's paved the way for everyone else afterwards.' 

In his prime Mr Kidd was a hugely famous stunt rider. He first stunned spectators in December 1979, when he jumped 80ft across the gap in a derelict railway bridge in Essex on a 400cc Yamaha. 

A procession of motorbikes stream by the car to pay tribute to the great rider, with Kidd saluting them as they pass

A procession of motorbikes stream by the car to pay tribute to the great rider, with Kidd saluting them as they pass

Mr Kidd's achievements culminated in 1993 when he jumped the Great Wall of China and beat Robbie Knievel, son of Evel Knievel, to the stunt bike world championship.

Three years later he was involved in the accident that would change his life as his motorbike steered out of control following a 45ft leap at an event in Stratford-upon-Avon.

As well as sustaining brain damage in the accident, he also broke his neck and pelvis. 

Eddie has since been unable to talk or walk unaided and requires full-time care.    

His peak: In his prime Mr Kidd was a famous stunt rider. He was also a stunt double for two famous James Bond character -Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan (Pictured 1981)

His peak: In his prime Mr Kidd was a famous stunt rider. He was also a stunt double for two famous James Bond character -Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan (Pictured 1981) 

Meanwhile, it seems as though Eddie has found lasting love with Billie following his tumultuous marriage to Samantha Kidd - who was jailed for five months in 2013 for beating him.    

Samantha, who wed Eddie in 2007 before they split in 2012, plead guilty to four counts of assaulting her husband, including punching and kicking him, throttling him and calling him 'a f****** spastic'.

She was arrested for domestic violence in December after her husband's family reported her to police days after the couple split up. 

Speaking shortly after her arrest, Eddie told The Sun:  I loved her so much. I suppose I still do. But when she was hitting me — sometimes in front of other people — I would just be crying inside and thinkieng 'Why? Why are you doing this to me?''

Tragic: However, in 1996 he was involved in the accident that would change his life as his motorbike steered out of control following a 45ft leap at an event in Stratford-upon-Avon (Pictured 1987)

Tragic: However, in 1996 he was involved in the accident that would change his life as his motorbike steered out of control following a 45ft leap at an event in Stratford-upon-Avon (Pictured 1987)

'As a man, any man, to be beaten by your wife is desperately humiliating and, in a way, shameful. I ended up blaming myself — thinking she had taken too much on, that it was my fault she was hitting me.

'I took on so much when I was riding. Then after all the stunts, all the fanfare, I am sat in a chair being beaten by my wife and there is nothing I can do,' he emotional confessed. 

Eddie was previously married to Hot Gossip dancer Debbie Ash and then ex-Stringfellows nightclub waitress Sarah Carr.

Speaking about his condition in a previous interview with The Mirror, Eddie admitted he didn't want to be upset about his life post accident. 

'Why would I get depressed? I did before. After the crash I wanted to kill myself. But not now. I love life.

'I got a lot of support after the crash. I would like to thank Elton John who sent a lovely bouquet of flowers to my hospital. I still have the vase if he wants it back!'

And it was in 2011 when he defied the odds to walk the London Marathon - which took him 50 days to complete. 

The following year he was awarded an OBE for his services to charitable giving. 

Honour: The comedian will be seen honouring the acclaimed driver, who worked on multiple James Bond movies and was left paralysed and with brain damage after an accident in 1996

Honour: The comedian will be seen honouring the acclaimed driver, who worked on multiple James Bond movies and was left paralysed and with brain damage after an accident in 1996

Speaking out: Paddy exclusively told MailOnline: 'He was an idol of mine from my childhood and to spend time with Eddie, and the stunts we did, was really special'

Speaking out: Paddy exclusively told MailOnline: 'He was an idol of mine from my childhood and to spend time with Eddie, and the stunts we did, was really special'

Screen magic: Eddie performed stunts in various television shows and films and he was reunited with some of his former stunt colleagues on the show

Screen magic: Eddie performed stunts in various television shows and filmss and he was reunited with some of his former stunt colleagues on the showPreviously speaking about the programme to MailOnline, Paddy explained: 'He was an idol of mine from my childhood and to spend time with Eddie and his family, and to see his face, the surprise and everything we had lined up for him, and the scale we did it on was really special. 

'So I really hope we've done him justice and I think he's going to love it when it's on.

'It was a very emotional time doing that with Eddie, especially at the end when all the different stunt drivers came out.

'He saw them again and he hadn't seen them for years, so it was a lovely atmosphere.

'The raw emotion that came out at the end, I think we were all in b***dy tears after that so it will be nice for a generation of people who probably don't know who he is, a lot of younger people. I'm glad they'll see what he achieved.'

The funnyman and his co-stars Chris and Freddie undertook a number of tough challenges for the new BBC series, including one in which they sampled various incredibly spicy chilis while driving, which saw Paddy gulp cooling milk before spraying it over Freddie who was sat in the passenger seat.

Paddy said: It was a very emotional time doing that with Eddie, especially at the end when all the different stunt drivers and everything came out'

Paddy said: It was a very emotional time doing that with Eddie, especially at the end when all the different stunt drivers and everything came out'

Breathtaking: Paddy and his co-hosts - journalist Chris Harris, 46, and former cricketer Freddie Flintoff, 43 - looked on as different stunt drivers performed various tricks

Breathtaking: Paddy and his co-hosts - journalist Chris Harris, 46, and former cricketer Freddie Flintoff, 43 - looked on as different stunt drivers performed various tricks

Astounding: A driver was seen driving through a ring of fire as part of the stunt on the BBC series

Astounding: A driver was seen driving through a ring of fire as part of the stunt on the BBC series

The television personality explained: 'It was hot! I really struggle with spice anyway.

'You don't see that (people driving while eating chilis) on I'm A Celebrity but I think I'd sooner rather go on a kangaroo's penis than another bird's eye chili. 

'Watching these two go at it being the heavyweights of chilies was a treat for me. 

'I just kind of sat back and relaxed and watched them destroy their innards.

Chris chimed in: 'It was pretty harsh and it's not much better when it comes out than when it went in.' 

'It was hotter!', exclaimed Paddy.

Chris joked: 'We were up on the moorland genuinely camping that night so there were no facilities. There are sheep that are definitely damaged from that.'

Top Gear airs on Sunday at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. 

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