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Revealed: Freddie Flintoff’s near-fatal Top Gear crash in December left the former England cricketer with injuries so severe that he was still ‘covering up his face’ just six weeks ago, before revealing it in public for the first time last week

Revealed: Freddie Flintoff’s near-fatal Top Gear crash in December left the former England cricketer with injuries so severe that he was still ‘covering up his face’ just six weeks ago, before revealing it in public for the first time last week


Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff was still covering up his face just six weeks ago after his horror car crash while filming Top Gear last year, a former team-mate has revealed.

The 45-year-old former cricket star was airlifted to hospital after breaking a rib and suffering facial injuries nine months ago in a high-speed smash while shooting an episode of the BBC TV motoring series at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in Surrey.

Flintoff – who also narrowly cheated death following a 125mph crash in 2019 – was seen in public last Friday for the first time since his crash after making a return to working with the England cricket team and was photographed with cuts on his face.

The father-of-four, who is one of the great all-rounders of the English game and the hero of the 2005 Ashes triumph, quit his Top Gear job after the accident and the BBC cancelled the latest series of the show – with its future remaining in doubt.

While it is unclear whether Flintoff will ever return to TV screens, last Friday he made a return to senior England cricket by joining the coaching staff at Cardiff‘s Sophia Gardens for the one-day international series against New Zealand as a mentor.

Flintoff appeared in good spirits as he continues to recover from the facial injuries and several broken ribs. Now, his former England friend and team-mate Steve Harmison has given new insight into his condition after appearing on talkSport.

Revealed: Freddie Flintoff’s near-fatal Top Gear crash in December left the former England cricketer with injuries so severe that he was still ‘covering up his face’ just six weeks ago, before revealing it in public for the first time last week

Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff helps coach England at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton yesterday

Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff helps with the warm-up at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton yesterday

Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff helps with the warm-up at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton yesterday

Andrew Flintoff is pictured after play at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton yesterday

Andrew Flintoff is pictured after play at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton yesterday

Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff (right) at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff last Friday

Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff (right) at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff last Friday

Harmison, who played alongside Flintoff for England between 2002 and 2009, said he was delighted to see him in the public eye again but revealed only a short while ago he was still covering up his facial injuries.

He also claimed Flintoff was training a guide dog as he plotted a route back to working life. ‘It was great to see him back,’ he said.

‘It’s been tough, you’ve seen the pictures of him with a smile on his face but I saw him about six weeks ago when my son Charlie and his son, Rocky played against each other and it was great to see him.

‘Obviously I roomed with Andrew for the best part of 15 years and we’d gone through all our careers together and so to see our two sons playing each other, Northumberland against Lancashire, it was fantastic.

‘I got to see him then but at that time he covered his face up when he walked around – believe it or not, he was training a guide dog which I’m sure is going better now than it was because he tripped over around three times on his way around the field!

‘He was on great form, but to see him around the England group, the main team, was fantastic. This England team are a good bunch and not only are they great cricketers, but they’re great ambassadors.

‘Freddie was always brilliant in the dressing room and so to have Andrew in the dressing room with them and feeling comfortable and letting him get his feet under the table because they’ll be in for a show.’

Flintoff is one of the great all-rounders of the English game and was an iconic symbol of the famous side that won the Ashes in 2005.

Steve Harmison (L) - who played with Flintoff (R) for seven years - revealed new details on his recovery from the accident

Steve Harmison (L) – who played with Flintoff (R) for seven years – revealed new details on his recovery from the accident

The serious accident saw Flintoff quit Top Gear and several members of staff who witnessed it sign off sick indefinitely as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder

One of the great all-rounders, Flintoff was an iconic symbol of the 2005 Ashes-winning side

The serious accident saw Flintoff quit Top Gear and several members of staff who witnessed it signed off sick indefinitely as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder

Flintoff's family (pictured with his wife Rachael and three of their four children) reportedly begged him to stay away from the set while he was recovering from his injuries

Flintoff’s family (pictured with his wife Rachael and three of their four children) reportedly begged him to stay away from the set while he was recovering from his injuries

In all he played in 79 Tests and 141 one-day internationals before retiring after England won the 2009 Ashes.

He made something of a comeback in T20 cricket in 2015 but was seemingly disillusioned with the game when he launched what had become a highly successful television career that culminated with the hugely successful Top Gear programme.

Flintoff is still recovering from the injuries he sustained in the horror crash that almost killed him nine months ago – which has since raised concerns about whether the right health and safety checks were in place.

He was left with severe facial wounds and several broken ribs after his three-wheeled open-top car, which did not have air bags, flipped while filming the hit BBC motoring show on December 13.

Flintoff then had to wait an ‘agonising’ 45 minutes for an air ambulance – with the BBC later giving him an apology.

He has since quit Top Gear and several members of staff who witnessed the accident signed off sick indefinitely as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder.

As a major probe continues into the incident, it emerged that one of the show’s top executives, Clare Pizey – who had been its editorial director since March last year – is due to leave, casting fresh uncertainty over its future.

Flintoff was the latest host injured in horrific accidents while filming Top Gear, following on from former host Richard Hammond, who was left in a coma after losing control of a jet-powered racer in 2006, and Paddy McGuiness, who cheated death after crash a Lamborghini in the Yorkshire Dales in 2020.

Top Gear 's future is hanging in the balance as health and safety bosses continue their probe into the near-fatal smash that almost killed co-host Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff. Flintoff is pictured with co-hosts Chris Harris and Paddy McGuiness

Top Gear ‘s future is hanging in the balance as health and safety bosses continue their probe into the near-fatal smash that almost killed co-host Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff. Flintoff is pictured with co-hosts Chris Harris and Paddy McGuiness

Clare Pizey had become Top Gear's editorial director in 2022 and was previously co-executive producer (Pizey is pictured second from left with presenters Flintoff, right, Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris, left). She is is due to leave, casting fresh uncertainty over its future

Clare Pizey had become Top Gear’s editorial director in 2022 and was previously co-executive producer (Pizey is pictured second from left with presenters Flintoff, right, Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris, left). She is is due to leave, casting fresh uncertainty over its future

Filming on the series was suspended while Flintoff recovered from his injuries and investigations took place, with reports the former professional cricketer was putting his TV career on hold.

It is uncertain whether Flintoff will resume his television career after the accident which left him badly injured and caused him to spend five weeks in hospital.

The BBC said it would continue to support Flintoff ‘with his recovery’, adding: ‘Under the circumstances, we feel it would be inappropriate to resume making series 34 of Top Gear at this time.

‘We understand this will be disappointing for fans, but it is the right thing to do, and we’ll make a judgment about how best to continue later this year.

‘This has also impacted the production team, who we continue to support. Finally there will be a health and safety review of the show, in line with our procedures.’



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