Top Gear has no definitive return date after Freddie Flintoff accident

An investigation is currently ongoing after the crash in December.

By James Hibbs

Published: Monday, 30 January 2023 at 12:00 am

After Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff was involved in a crash while filming for Top Gear in December, filming has been paused on the new season – with no definitive air date for new episodes currently set.

Flintoff was injured in a crash at the Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in Surrey on Tuesday 13th December 2022, and received medical care at the scene before being airlifted to hospital.

Now, RadioTimes.com understands that Top Gear filming has been paused while the investigation into Freddie’s accident is ongoing.

Once the investigation has concluded, a decision is set to be taken on when to restart production, although the logistical arrangements around the show mean this won’t happen immediately.

This means there is currently no definitive air date for the new season.

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Chris Harris, Freddie Flintoff and Paddy McGuinness presenting Top Gear.
BBC

Former cricketer Flintoff has been a presenter on the show since 2019, alongside co-hosts Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris. McGuinness joined alongside Flintoff, while Harris has been on the presenting team since 2016.

Flintoff had a previous crash while filming for the show in 2019, when he lost control of a motorised trike.

The upcoming season Flintoff was filming for when the accident occurred would be the relaunched show’s 34th, with this iteration of the programme starting in 2002 with now-The Grand Tour hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond.

Ahead of the 2022 season, McGuinness spoke about the show’s history of changing presenters in June of last year, when talking exclusively with RadioTimes.com.

He said: “It’s our show now and we’re all in it, you know, and who knows further down the line if it’ll stop here or carry on going… it’ll always change hosts.

“But for now, it’s not a case to reinvent – it’s just keeping up the good vibes of it and keeping the viewers interested, which it does every series, it gets more and more viewers. And that’s all we can do. Those feelings of reinventing it and pressure and everything else kind of went with the first series for me.”