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ANDREW “Freddie” Flintoff is a famous cricketer and TV presenter who was involved in a horrific crash while filming Top Gear.
In April 2025, the star opened up about his injuries and revealed that he felt like the BBC had treated him like a “piece of meat”.
Freddie Flintoff survived a horrific crash in 2022PA: Press Association
The crash took place during the filming of Top GearDisney+
Freddie’s horror crash
In December 2022, Freddie was involved in a terrifying accident whilst filming Top Gear.
He was airlifted to hospital after his three-wheeled Morgan flipped over, leaving him with several devastating injuries.
The star also received emergency medical care at the scene before being transported to a hospital for further treatment.
Freddie was left with several facial injuries, which meant he needed reconstructive surgery, as well as some broken ribs.
Freddie‘s co-presenter Chris Harris was at the scene when it happened.
A source told The Sun at the time: “Freddie is in hospital after a crash on Top Gear.
“He was driving on the track as normal. He wasn’t going at high speeds – it was just an accident that could happen to anyone.
“All the usual health and safety measures were in place for filming too.
“Freddie was taken to hospital by air ambulance shortly afterwards.
“His injuries are not life-threatening and he is receiving treatment.
“Filming has been postponed for now and all anyone cares about is Freddie recovering.”
In a heartbreaking video, Freddie revealed the extent of his injuries to fans – showing his lacerated cheek, nose and mouth while lying in a hospital bed.
Freddie’s recovery begins
Freddie opened up about how he felt that the show’s producers continually upped the stakes in the programme’s stunts.
In his Disney+ TV show, he said: “That’s the danger that TV falls into — and I found out the hard way, eventually.
“Everybody wants more, everybody wants that thing that nobody has seen before, everyone wants that bigger stunt.
“In some ways it’s, ‘Let’s have that near miss, because then that’ll get viewers’.
“Everything is about viewers. Always, always.
“And I should have been cleverer on this, because I learnt this in sport as well … and was just treated like a piece of meat.
“That’s TV and sport, I think that’s where they’re quite similar. You’re just a commodity, a piece of meat.”
Thankfully, Freddie was able to recover from his injuries and an internal investigation into the incident was launched.
In March 2023, The Sun revealed the open-topped Morgan Super 3 sports car Freddie was driving was not fitted with air bags.
That same month the BBC announced that series 34 of Top Gear would be scrapped following Freddie’s accident.
They said it would be “inappropriate” to continue while he is still recovering.
Meanwhile, Freddie was forced to suspend all work while he focused on getting better.
He later revealed that the incident forced him to become a social reclusive, as it damaged his mental health.
The star revealed he was positive about his recovery, saying: “I genuinely should not be here after what happened.
“It’s going to be a long road back and I’ve only just started.
“I’ve got to look at the positives, I’ve got another chance, and I’m going to go at it. I’m seeing that as how it is – a second go.”
Freddie is married to Rachael Woods, who has supported him after his crashPA: Press Association
A long way to go
Freddie revealed that he needed to have extensive facial surgery, which left his three-year-old son frightened to go near him.
He said: “What I’ve done, I suppose, in this house, is become safe and be scared to step outside of it.
“You want to be there for the kids and you don’t want to miss stuff and fortunately I’ve got four of them.
“I’ve spent all this time with a three-and-a-half-year-old. He wouldn’t come near me to begin with, I think it frightened him, my face.
“It frightened me. That was heartbreaking.”
Freddie added that, as his mental health declined, he began to wish he had died in the crash.
The star was supported by his wife Rachael Woods and their four children Holly, Corey, Rocky & Preston.
Fellow Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond – who also experienced a horrific crash while filming the show – wished Freddie the “very best” in his recovery.
Richard had raced off the track at 288mph while driving a jet car and miraculously survived.
Another Top Gear presenter, Jeremy Clarkson, broke his thumb in a crash on the set of the show leading some fans to brand the show as “cursed”.
Freddie was cheered on by Richard Hammond who had experienced his own car crash (pictured)News Group Newspapers
Top Gear axed
However, by November 2023, it was announced that Top Gear was being axed by the BBC because of the crash.
In a statement, the broadcaster said: “Given the exceptional circumstances, the BBC has decided to rest the UK show for the foreseeable future.
“The BBC remains 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. 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.”
The broadcaster also gave Freddie Flintoff £9 million in a groundbreaking settlement, following the accident.
Freddie’s TV return
Freddie made his first television appearance following his accident in August 2024, for the second series of his hit show Field of Dreams.
He then appeared on the reboot of the iconic 80s show Bullseye, which returned for a Christmas special on December 22, 2024.
Opening up about landing the job, Freddie said: “I love the darts and Bullseye was one of my favourite shows as a kid.
“Can’t quite believe I’ll get to host this Christmas special. You can’t beat a bit of Bully!”
However, his big return came when he landed his own Disney+ film named simply Flintoff.
The show follows Freddie in his recovery and takes viewers behind the scenes of his horrific accident.
In the show, Freddie describes the incident from his own perspective.
The star says: “We were probably doing about 40 or 45. They were showing me how to get the car going sideways, and a wheel came off at the front.
“It’s a funny thing rolling a car because there’s the point of no return and everything slows down. It’s so weird.
“I think it was half an hour, 40 minutes, just in agony until the air ambulance came. It was just: ‘This can’t be happening to me, it can’t be happening.’
“I remember everything about it. In some ways it would have been easier if I’d gone unconscious, and then been unconscious for a week or two and you wake up and all your stitches are out and everything.
“I think about it now, back in that car. It was a three-wheeler with a reinforced windscreen, and a bar which was about halfway up my back, so I’m exposed.”
Fans can watch Flintoff on Disney+ when it lands on April 25, 2025.
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