Paddy McGuinness has given an update on his former Top Gear co-host Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff after his horror crash on the show.
The Ashes hero, 46, was ‘lucky to be alive’ after his is open-topped three-wheel 130mph Morgan Super 3 car, which had no air bags, flipped over in December 2022, leaving him with severe facial injuries and several broken ribs.
Following the near-fatal crash, the BBC announced that it would pause Top Gear – and in November last year it was rested for the ‘foreseeable future’.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Monday, Paddy, 50, spoke of Freddie’s resilience when asked how he is getting on.
‘He’s alright,’ the comedian said. ‘I’ve not spoke to him for a while but you know he’s getting on with it. He’s a very resilient character is Fred so I’ve no doubt he’ll be as right as rain.’
Paddy was then cagey about the future of Top Gear as GMB broadcaster Susanna Reid probed him.
‘I sound like a politician now,’ Paddy said. ‘I can’t really get into the ins and outs of it because there’s all stuff still going on with Top Gear and what have you, so at some point it will all get sorted.’
Freddie had joined Top Gear as a host in 2019 alongside Paddy. They joined Chris Harris from the 27th series of the BBC Two show in the main presenting line-up.
The former cricketer, who is still recovering from his ‘life-altering significant’ injuries, is understood to have negotiated a £9million settlement with the corporation for two years’ loss of earnings as a result of the crash.
Having returned to the England cricket side in a coaching capacity, it was revealed in January that Freddie has also been holding meetings with production company South Shore over a second series of his BBC cricket show Field of Dreams.
The former Top Gear host has been speaking with the crew and filming is expected to start in the spring.
A TV source told The Sun: ‘Freddie and staff have been quietly working on it since last month.
‘It will be his first major TV project in two years. Filming will start in a few months, when it’s warmer outside, and will take place in the north of England.’
The source added that Freddie is excited to be returning to grassroots cricket – and that a lot of the same production team from series one will be involved again.
Freddie was driving a Morgan Super 3 – a lightweight ‘trackday’ sports car with two wheels at the front and one at the back – at the Dunsfold test track near Guildford, Surrey on December 13 2022 when it overturned.
The open-top car has no airbags, and the cricketer was not wearing a helmet when the car flipped at around 22mph – meaning he ‘scraped’ his face along the tarmac in horrific scenes witnessed by the TV production crew.
Freddie reportedly required a number of surgeries following the crash, suffering broken ribs and facial bones after being dragged along the road.
Several members of staff who witnessed it were signed off sick, having reportedly been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder – a claim the BBC has denied.
He retreated from the limelight at the behest of his family in order to recover, breaking cover for the first time last year to coach England cricketers.
Freddie was photographed for the first time in public since the crash in September and had visible facial injuries as he joined up with the squad for their one-day international series against New Zealand.
Just yesterday, ECB managing director Rob Key hinted that Freddie could have a longer role with England.
Freddie, who made 79 Test appearances during his playing career, joined up with the white ball team during their one-day series against New Zealand, after watching three Ashes Tests as an incognito guest of Keys’ over the summer.
Back in November, Freddie took the biggest step in his return to cricket, being named as the head coach for the Northern Superchargers for the upcoming Hundred tournament, after earning the plaudits of several England players including Stuart Broad, following his stint with Matthew Mott’s side.
But speaking on the Tailenders podcast, Key hailed the former Lancashire player, stating: ‘When he got with the white-ball team, that was the first time he’d been seen in public and everyone loves seeing him, because you forget everyone grew up watching him.
‘And since then he’s now back to his old self a little bit, which is great to see. Jimmy [Anderson] played golf with him the other day.
‘He’s come on so much from where he was. I think he’ll be a brilliant coach because he has empathy. He was a great player who also had struggles, like [Ben] Stokes, who has had his tough times – and your scars are what make you.
‘Freddie is the same, a little bit. They know what it’s like to fail and that’s so helpful to have empathy for players – their world comes to an end when they get out, or you get hit around the park. They have understanding.’
In a statement on Top Gear in November, 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.’
The BBC declined to comment at the time.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
