Top Gear’s future will apparently be decided soon after Freddie Flintoff’s “serious” car accident.
The former England cricketer (45) was taken to hospital with facial injuries and broken ribs after a collision at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey on 13 December.
Filming for the BBC show has been temporarily suspended while Freddie recovers from his injuries.
BBC bosses are awaiting the results of an internal health and safety investigation in the coming days.
A source told The Sun: “The report is coming. Only when this is completed and reviewed will a decision be made as to whether Top Gear can resume filming.
Decision: The future of Top Gear will reportedly be decided soon after Freddie Flintoff’s “bad” car crash
“The future of the program depends on what is in the report. As simple as that.’
The BBC Studios health and safety team, which is separate from the Top Gear production team, launched the investigation.
Freddie’s injuries were apparently more serious because the motorcycle he was riding did not have a roof. However, he was wearing a helmet which may have saved his life.
The insider added the incident was a “shock to everyone involved and very serious.”
MailOnline has reached out to representatives of the BBC and Freddie Flintoff for comment.
BBC Studios confirmed to MailOnline earlier this month that they will not make any decisions about resuming production until the investigation is completed.
Production insiders told The Sun studio officials want to give Freddie time to recover from the accident.
Likewise, it is believed that due to the “integral role” he plays in the show, many cast and crew members “wouldn’t feel comfortable starting over without Freddie anyway.”
Crash: The former England ace, 45, was flown to hospital with facial injuries and broken ribs after a collision at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey in December (pictured with Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness)
Suspended: Filming of the BBC show has been temporarily suspended while Freddie recovers from his injury
The BBC has previously insisted that “all health and safety procedures” will be followed.
Chris Harris, who co-hosts the show with Freddie and Paddy McGuinness, was also present at the Top Gear test track.
An assessment of the accident by the government’s Health and Safety Executive found no evidence of serious failings to warrant a formal investigation.
The hit comes three years after the former cricketer narrowly cheated death following a shocking 200-mile crash.
In 2019, Freddie was heard screaming “I can’t stop” as he hurtled headfirst onto a runway just inches off the ground in a tricycle car.
Report: BBC bosses are awaiting the results of an internal health and safety investigation in the coming days
He was racing against his co-hosts when he realized he was running out of track and was about to cross the finish line – when he saw himself swerve away in a cloud of dust.
Freddie walked away from the “near-death” accident unscathed and insisted he was “perfect”.
He said at the time: “I do everything I can to make sure I do well in Top Gear Drag Racing, but on this occasion I went a few steps too far. It would look more ridiculous than dangerous if you saw it on TV.’
Freddie, who was made captain of England cricket twice, first in 2006 and 2007, resigned in 2010 before briefly returning to play for Lancashire four years later.
After his illustrious sporting career, he became a familiar face on television, taking part in various reality and panel shows and appearing as the face of the supermarket brand Morrisons.
A source said: “The report is imminent. No decision will be made until it is finished and an investigation into whether filming on Top Gear can resume.
In 2010, he became the team captain of Sky’s A League Of Their Own, hosted by James Corden, before being crowned king of the jungle in the first series of the Australian version of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Lord! in 2015.
After appearing in BBC drama Love, Lies and Records in 2017, he made his musical theater debut in Kay Mellor’s Fat Friends The Musical and presented All Star Musicals for ITV in December of the same year.
He was announced as the new host of Top Gear in October 2018, ahead of the show’s 27th series, alongside Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris.
Paddy also cheated death after losing control of a red Lamborghini in the Yorkshire Dales in 2020.
Richard Hammond fell into a coma after a serious accident during filming in September 2006.
The former Top Gear presenter crashed into a jet-powered vampire dragster vehicle at 450mph and spent five weeks in hospital recovering from his injuries.
Top Gear has crashed over the years
Richard Hammond crashes a vampire dragster – 2006
Richard continued to fight for his life after crashing the jet-powered car while traveling at 450mph while testing the vehicle at the former RAF Elvington air base near York. Hammond was on a seventh and final run in the car when the right front tire flipped and the dragster veered off the track, overturned and Hammond suffered a traumatic head injury and was in a coma for two weeks. The year after the accident, the TV host returned to the show and talked about the accident on The Jonathan Ross Show, but could not remember anything due to his injuries.
Shocking: Richard was left fighting for his life after crashing the Vampire dragster at 450mph while testing the vehicle at the former RAF Elvington airbase
Freddie Flintoff crashed in 2019 while riding a tricycle
In September, Freddie revealed he made a wicked escape after a high-speed crash in a jet tricycle during filming. The 41-year-old cricketer insisted he was “absolutely fine” after his jet tricycle went off the road during a race at Elvington Airfield, near York. Freddie reportedly drove his high-speed trike off the road while filming the high-speed race. Crew members rushed to Freddie – who was wearing a full suit and helmet for the scenes – but he barely made it out.
Little chance: Last September, Freddie revealed he made a nasty escape after a high-speed crash in a jet car during filming
Paddy McGuinness’s rear axle is from his Pontiac Firebird – 2020
In the latest series of Top Gear, Paddy embarked on the ‘original’ American road trip with Freddie and Chris Harris. He arrived in their starting point, Peru, in a Pontiac Firebird that had no roof, among various other problems. When the trio decided to test their cars on a 1/4 mile straight, Paddy’s car only got meters before the rear axle broke completely apart and he was forced to abandon the car.
In Top Gear’s latest series, Paddy had to abandon his Pontiac Firebird after the rear axle completely broke apart (pictured).
Jeremy Clarkson flips his Reliant Robin – 2010
In a now famous Top Gear segment, former host Jeremy flipped a Reliant Robin several times. The motoring journalist flipped it over to prove that the three-wheeler can tip over easily. In his Sunday Times driving column, Jeremy revealed that he asked the crew to tinker with the car “so that the poor thing falls over every time I turn the wheel”.
Flip tail: In a now famous Top Gear segment, former presenter Jeremy Clarkson flipped a Reliant Robin several times (pictured)
Source: Daily Mail
Ashley Root is an author and celebrity journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for all things celebrity, Ashley is always up-to-date on the latest gossip and trends in the world of entertainment.
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