Piers Morgan has praised Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff after he made his first public appearance after a horrific crash while filming Top Gear.
Flintoff, 45, was injured in December last year while filming at Top Gear’s test track at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in Surrey.
After keeping himself low-key, the former international cricketer was spotted for the first time in public on Friday (8 September) with the England cricket team during their one-day international game with New Zealand at Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens.
Flintoff was wearing an England coaching kit as he watched from the home team’s balcony. He is close mates with the England managing director, Rob Key, and is now set to be with the squad for the remainder of the series, The Independent reports.
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One person who was particularly happy to see Flintoff out and about again is TalkTV journalist Morgan, who took a break from jabbering about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to praise the cricket legend.
“Brilliant to see Freddie @flintoff11 back with the England team today, after that horrendous Top Gear car smash,” the former Good Morning Britain host posted on X alongside a picture of Flintoff at Friday’s game.
Fans celebrated Flintoff’s return to the public eye as social media was flooded with supportive messages from fans.
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“Great to see Freddie out and about, nice touch for England to bring him in,” one person wrote. “Must have been mentally tough for someone like him to be doing nothing that length of time. Will be a great confidence boost for his ongoing recovery."
Another fan gushed: “Great to see him out and about amazing cricketer, presenter & bloke.”
While a third posted: “Yes Piers! Was great to see him in the outfield giving the warm ups. I hope he realises how loved he is… and that also there’s no pressure for any other public engagement until he is ready.”
And a fourth penned: “Wonderful to see him after so long. I have genuinely worried about him. He looks well, I hope he is. He will be great for the England team.”
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“Freddie is a legend ! Get well mate,” another fan wrote.
Flintoff has visible scars on his face, which can be seen around his mouth and nose where he also seems to be wearing tape.
Flintoff, who joined Top Gear in 2019, sustained facial injuries and broken ribs while he had been driving an open-topped three-wheel Morgan Super 3 at a whopping 130mph. On the outfield, he wore a bucket hat and dark glasses, covering part of his face.
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After his crash, the BBC halted filming on Top Gear and released a statement: “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.”
Featured Image Credit: Jeff Spicer/Clive Rose/Getty ImagesTopics: Celebrity, Piers Morgan, Top Gear, Freddie Flintoff