BBC cancels ‘Top Gear’ filming after Freddie Flintoff accident
Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff was hospitalized last December when he was hurt while filming an episode at the Dunsfold Aerodrome track in Surrey
By Toyin Owoseje, CNN
The BBC has halted production on the latest series of motoring show “Top Gear” following an investigation into an accident that left co-host Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff injured.
Flintoff, who has fronted the popular show alongside Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness since 2019, was hospitalized last December when he was hurt while filming an episode at the Dunsfold Aerodrome track in Surrey, southern England.
On Thursday, the corporation released a statement saying it had “sincerely apologized” to the former England cricket captain following its probe and “will continue to support him with his recovery.”
“Under the circumstances, we feel it would be inappropriate to resume making series 34,” the BBC said.
“We understand this will be disappointing for fans, but it is the right thing to do, and we’ll make a judgement about how best to continue later this year.”
The broadcaster added that the incident had “impacted the production team” and there will be a health and safety review on the show, which has been running for 21 years.
CNN has contacted Flintoff’s representatives for comment.
In February 2019, Flintoff crashed into a market stall while filming the show in Nottinghamshire but escaped unscathed.
“I go to great lengths to make sure I do well in ‘Top Gear’ drag races but on this occasion I went a few lengths too far,” the father-of-four said at the time. “It will look more ridiculous than dangerous when you see it on TV”.
The former cricket star is not the only “Top Gear” host to have been involved in a high-speed crash while filming the show.
In 2006, Richard Hammond was left in a coma for two weeks after crashing in a Vampire jet car traveling at 288 miles per hour. He suffered serious head injuries but survived and returned to the series.
Hammond now hosts Amazon’s “The Grand Tour” alongside his one-time “Top Gear” colleagues Jeremy Clarkson and James May.
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