BBC ‘rests’ Top Gear for ‘foreseeable future’ following Freddie Flintoff crash

Top Gear will be “rested” for the “foreseeable future” following a crash during filming last year, which left host Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff seriously injured, the BBC has announced. Production of the popular motoring show has been halted since former England cricket captain Flintoff was taken to hospital in December 2022.

The 45-year-old was injured in an accident at the Top Gear test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey. Following the crash, the BBC announced that it would pause production on the show, co-presented by Take Me Out host Paddy McGuinness and automotive journalist Chris Harris, as it was felt it would be “inappropriate”, adding there would be a health and safety review.

In a statement given to the PA news agency, 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."

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The statement added: “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.”

Currently the UK show is sold to more 150 territories and there are 11 local format versions including in the United States, France and Finland. Top Gear magazine is the world’s largest