The BBC has “decided to rest the UK show” after the horrific incident.
The BBC has announced that Top Gear will be taken off air “for the foreseeable future”.
The news has been confirmed after months of speculation surrounding the series’ future after presenter Freddie Flintoff was injured in an accident during production.
The cricketer-turned-presenter’s facial injuries were seen for the first time in September 2023 at a one-day cricket international between England and New Zealand at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.
But do we know what exactly happened to Flintoff while filming the BBC motoring show?
What happened to Freddie Flintoff?
Flintoff was involved in a crash at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, home of the Top Gear test track, on 13th December 2022.
While it was initially reported that he was travelling at a high speed, The Sun claimed last month that he was only doing 22mph when the accident occurred and there was no fault with the vehicle.
He was airlifted to hospital and his injuries were described at the time as being non-life threatening, but his son Corey told the Mail Online he was lucky to be alive.
“It was a pretty nasty crash,” he said. “It is shocking. We are all shocked but just hope he’s going to be OK.”
In a statement shared in April, the BBC said that “under the circumstances” it “would be inappropriate to resume making season 34” following an internal investigation into the incident.
In October, it was confirmed that Flintoff had reached a settlement with the BBC, which The Sun reported was worth £9m, based on the presenter losing out on two years of earnings.
“BBC Studios has reached an agreement with Freddie that we believe supports his continued rehabilitation, return to work and future plans,” a spokesperson said.
“We have sincerely apologised to Freddie and will continue to support him with his recovery.”
The payout is not be funded by the TV licence fee, since BBC Studios is a commercial arm of the broadcaster.
Another update was provided in November 2023 when the BBC said it had decided to take Top Gear off air “for the foreseeable future”.
The BBC said in a statement: “[We] remain committed to Freddie, Chris and Paddy, who have been at the heart of the show’s renaissance since 2019, and we’re excited about new projects being developed with each of them. We will have more to say in the near future on this.
Read more:
- Top Gear’s Chris Harris offers update on Freddie Flintoff recovery
- Top Gear needs a rethink, says James May as BBC rests show
“We know resting the show will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right thing to do.
“All other Top Gear activity remains unaffected by this hiatus, including international formats, digital, magazines and licensing.”
Previous seasons of Top Gear are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Looking for something else to watch in the meantime? Check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.
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