While obviously not an everyday occurrence, the ever-popular UK TV staple Top Gear and its various presenters have dealt with dangerous situations and injuries in the past, and the latest scare landed co-host and celebrated cricket icon Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff in the hospital. While it’s being reported that the sports and television personality isn’t suffering any life-threatening injuries, his teen son has stated Flintoff is lucky to have come away from the incident without something more dire happening.
Freddie Flintoff was shooting an episode of BBC’s Top Gear in Surrey at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome, when something apparently went wrong. It wasn’t stated exactly what went down that led to the accident, though it was noted by DailyMail that temperatures in the area had dropped down to 0°C. What’s known is that the accident didn’t involve a high-speed collision, according to The Sun, although Flintoff was reportedly behind the wheel.
Whatever went down, the cricket champ suffered injuries that required a medical helicopter to airlift and transport him to a nearby hospital for treatment. He reportedly suffered cuts on his face, as well as a broken rib.
Here’s the statement from the BBC on the matter:
Freddie was injured in an accident at the Top Gear test track this morning - with crew medics attending the scene immediately. He has been taken to hospital for further treatment and we will confirm more details in due course. All the usual health and safety measures were in place for filming too. Freddie was taken to hospital by air ambulance shortly afterwards. Filming has been postponed for now and all anyone cares about is Freddie recovering.
The 45-year-old’s wife Rachael Flintoff is said to have rushed to the hospital from the family’s home in Altrincham after hearing the unfortunate news. Their 16-year-old son Corey shared with DailyMail that the family was definitely taken aback by the incident, saying:
He's OK. I'm not too sure what happened but he is lucky to be alive. It was a pretty nasty crash. It is shocking. We are all shocked but just hope he's going to be OK.
Co-presenter Chris Harris is noted to have also been present at the Top Gear test track when the injuries occurred.
Unfortunately enough, this wasn’t the first time Freddie Flintoff was in the middle of a frightening set of events involving the long-running UK series. Back in 2019, he was racing his co-stars while maneuvering a three-wheeled cycle car, hurtling forward at speeds of 124mph, when he ran out of runway track and shot onto the grass in a cloud of dust, unable to brake properly. Shockingly, he was able to walk away from that crash without serious injury, though it was the same location where former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond crashed and suffered a critical head injury that left him in a coma.
Prior to joining Top Gear, Freddie Flintoff cemented his legacy in the sport of cricket, scoring 3,845 runs across his laudable career. He went on to host the comedy quiz show A League of Their Own and took part in the 2015 season of I’m A Celebrity, eventually making his way behind the wheel of Top Gear in 2018 following its troubled first rebooted year that led to the exits of Chris Evans and, later, Friends vet Matt LeBlanc.
Flintoff’s former Top Gear co-star Sabine Schmitz passed away in 2021 after a battle with cancer.
Here’s hoping Freddie Flintoff makes it through the healing process without further incidents, and that he’s able to feel good enough to film again in due time. Head to our 2023 TV premiere schedule to see what’ll be popping up soon while waiting for new Top Gear eps.
