He and Sarah Greene were seriously injured on 10 September 1988 when the
helicopter that Mike was piloting crashed in Gloucestershire. Mike
broke his back and an ankle, whilst Sarah broke both legs and an arm.
Both made full recoveries. They became engaged soon after the accident
and were married the following year. Mike was cleared of blame after an
investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority.
Mike and Sarah Greene met during the first London Marathon in 1981. Sarah
was working for Blue Peter (1958) and Mike was a Radio broadcaster.
Mike Smith decided not to sign the license extension that would allow the BBC to repeat the Top of the Pops (1964) episodes that he presented. Since his passing, the BBC is continuing to respect his wishes.
Mike is an accomplished racing driver. He has competed in not only car
racing, but truck racing. His team, Trakstar, won the British Touring
Car Championship in 1990 with team-mate Robb Gravett, driving a Ford
Sierra Cosworth.