Top Gear will not return for 'foreseeable future' following Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff's horror crash

21 November 2023, 12:28 | Updated: 21 November 2023, 13:01

Top Gear has been 'rested'.
Top Gear has been 'rested'. Picture: Alamy

By Emma Soteriou

Top Gear will not return for the "foreseeable future" following Andrew Flintoff's horror crash during filming last year.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Flintoff suffered facial injuries and broken ribs in a crash on the test track in December 2022.

The former England cricket captain was driving a three-wheeled Morgan Super 3 at the time, worth around £43,000 and described as a "motorised tricycle" without airbags.

Top Gear has been on hiatus since filming for the 34th series was paused over the crash.

Flintoff was spotted for the first time with scars and dressings on his face in early September after keeping out of the limelight for nine months.

He has since made a gradual return to the public eye and last week it was announced that he had been appointed as head coach of the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred, replacing ex-England wicketkeeper James Foster.

Read more: Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff breaks silence after landing new job nearly a year after Top Gear crash

Read more: Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff reaches '£9million settlement' 10 months after horror Top Gear crash

Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff, Paddy McGuiness and Chris Harris
Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff, Paddy McGuiness and Chris Harris. Picture: Alamy

The accident was not the first faced by Flintoff since he began working on the show.

In February 2019, the presenter was involved in a minor incident when he crashed into a market stall in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.

A statement from the BBC 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."

Flintoff and McGuinness made their debut as Top Gear hosts in June 2019.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Norwood Primary School in Eastleigh, Hants.

Primary school branded 'disgraceful' as it cancels annual Easter celebration to 'respect diverse religious beliefs'

Chancellor Rachel Reeves Hosts Roundtable With Regulators.

Rachel Reeves takes axe to civil service: Government departments to make £2billion cuts

Thomas Woldbye said he is 'proud' of how Heathrow Airport handled Friday's catastrophic closure.

Why Heathrow Airport boss 'went to bed' as inferno raged while 300,000 passengers faced flight chaos

Professor Stephen Hawking

Cambridge University sparks row over claims Stephen Hawking 'benefited from slavery'

Flights Resume As Heathrow Re-opens

Heathrow launches internal review after Miliband demands 'urgent investigation' into nearby fire

Photo of Searchers

Britain’s 'longest-running' pop band to break-up with final show at Glastonbury after nearly 70 years

A bomb squad  carried out a controlled burn in a skip after explosive chemicals were found in a Sussex home.

Bomb squad carries out 'controlled burn' of explosive chemicals found in Sussex home after 70 evacuated

Pope Francis Delivers His Weekly Audience At The Vatican

Pope Francis returning to Vatican tomorrow after five weeks in hospital with double pneumonia

Davina McCall.

Davina McCall reveals tumour removal was 'hardest thing she's ever been through'

Jamie Cooper, 33, went on the run after breaking out of a prison van on the M55 motorway.

Prisoner who escaped police van on motorway arrested after four-day manhunt

A report has found rape culture exists in 1,600 primary schools.

Rape culture found in 1,600 primary schools, report reveals

Heathrow as resumed "full service" but some flights remain cancelled.

Heathrow resumes full service as Ed Miliband demands 'urgent investigation' amid warnings of more delays

Bills are set to rise this April

All household bills set to rise in April and what you need to know to save cash

George Foreman, Donald Trump and Evander Holyfield pose together in 1991

Donald Trump leads tributes to 'exceptional' George Foreman as boxing icon dies aged 76

The Silent Scandal of ‘Debanking’: Why Innocent Britons are paying a high price for inadequate fraud prevention

The Silent Scandal of ‘Debanking’: Why Innocent Britons are paying a high price for inadequate fraud prevention

Heathrow as resumed "full service" but some flights remain cancelled.

Heathrow resumes full service as National Grid 'deeply sorry' amid warnings of more delays after day of travel chaos