Former Top Gear host says Freddie Flintoff should never have presented show

15 September 2023 , 07:42

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A former Top Gear host has blasted the BBC show after Freddie Flintoff’s horror crash, which he almost killed him.

The Mirror exclusively revealed the 45-year-old cricketer is set to return to TV almost a year after an accident on Top Gear left him with serious facial injuries and a broken rib. He will be back in action this winter as he films the second run on his ‘passion project’ cricket series, Field of Dreams.

As the future of Top Gear - which was paused after Freddie’s accident – remains up in the air, former host Steve Berry, who presented the show from 1993 to 1999, has said Freddie should never have been allow to host as he’s not a motoring expert.

“The difference back when I did it was they used to appoint motoring journalists. I was completely aware of the dangers that could often occur, I was under no illusion,” Steve told GB News.

He added: “The problem for me with the modern Top Gear is you’re asking a cricketer to do things that really should be done by people who know what they’re doing.”

Flintoff's horror Top Gear crash was in roofless car and injuries 'more severe'

Freddie Flintoff's injuries can still be seen nine months on from his horror crash (PA)

Steve described one incident where a car he was in flipped upside down in a ditch and was “completely destroyed”. He said he had to climb out the car to safety – but six months later he was back in the rebuilt car so the BBC could finish filming the scene for the programme.

Freddie was driving an open top Morgan Super 3 at around 130mph in sub-zero temperatures at the show’s racetrack in Dunsfold, Surrey, when it flipped over in December 2022. It was later revealed the car did not have air bags.

He then had to wait an “agonising” 45 minutes for an air ambulance and was in hospital for five weeks. Freddie’s 17-year-old son Corey said his dad was “lucky to be alive” after the smash.

Filming on series 34 of Top Gear was halted and the episodes already filmed have not been shown. A probe on the crash ended in spring and since then, the BBC has been reviewing health and safety provision on the show.

(BBC)

In March, it was reported Freddie, who joined Top Gear in 2019, had quit. A source told The Times: “Freddie has been emotionally and physically affected by the crash. He is a daredevil and he doesn’t feel able to continue to play that role.”

A BBC statement at the time said: “We have sincerely apologised to Freddie and will continue to support him with his recovery. Our primary concern is and has been for the welfare of Freddie – as well as the Top Gear team. All health and safety procedures were followed on site and the incident is now being fully investigated, in line with standard policy and practice."

Meanwhile, the Health and Safety Executive said: "HSE [Health and Safety Executive] is aware of this incident and is making inquiries." HSE is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions. It is the procedure for the BBC to report the incident to the HSE and for inquiries to be made.

The Mirror has reached out to the BBC again for further comment on this story.