Andrew Flintoff speaks out about ‘nightmares and flashbacks’ after horrific Top Gear crash

Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff has spoken out about his terrifying Top Gear crash in length for the first time, revealing that he has struggled with 'nightmares' since the incident.

The former cricket player-turned-TV personality was a presenter on the BBC motoring show from 2019-2022 before a horror crash he was involved in halted production of the show indefinitely.

Flintoff was then said to have come to an agreement over compensation with the BBC following the incident, which was said to be £9 million, as per reports by The Sun.

It's not the first life-threatening crash to happen on Top Gear either, as Richard Hammond's crash while at the wheel of a jet-powered dragster in 2006 almost ended the presenter's life.

Flintoff has since announced his return to the silver screen, where he will be presenting Field of Dreams On Tour, with the trailer teasing the star talking about his crash.

"But something happened which changed my life forever," Flintoff says in the trailer and it seems as though he's going to speak about the Top Gear crash.

Since then, he has spoken about the crash in depth, revealing that he was 'struggling with anxiety' after the crash, as the 46-year-old opened up in an emotional reflection of one of the toughest times in his life.

The comments come as part of Field of Dreams On Tour, an upcoming documentary presented by the BBC, where Flintoff takes a group of young people from his home town of Preston on a once-in-a-lifetime cricketing tour of India.

He began to say in the documentary: “I don’t want to sit and feel sorry for myself, I don’t want sympathy, but it’s going from being here for seven months, to going to India.

“I’m struggling with my anxiety, I have nightmares, I have flashbacks, it’s been so hard to cope. But I’m thinking if I don’t do something, I’ll never go. I’ve got to get on with it,” he insisted.

Flintoff has spoken about his crash at length. (Nathan Stirk - ECB/ECB via Getty Images)

The crash, which happened in December 2022, left the former England cricketer with facial and rib injuries.

Flintoff added: “I genuinely should not be here after what happened. This will be a long road back and I’ve only just started, I’m stuck already.

“I need help, and I realise I’m not the best at asking for it. I need to stop crying every two minutes. I’ve got to look at the positives, haven’t I? I’m still here, I’ve got another chance, I’ve got to go at it. I’m seeing that as how it is, a second go.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing the lads again and being around them, I really am,” as the TV presenter also revealed that he was 'crying every two minutes', as he only left his home for medical appointments until the summer of 2023.

Though he just wanted to move past the crash, he admitted that it was more challenging than he anticipated.

The 46-year-old explained: “As much as I want to go out and do things, and I’ve just not been able to.”

After saying it has changed him forever, he is asked if he is better, to which he says: “Not really, I’m not sure I ever will again to be honest. I’m better than I was.

“I don’t know what completely better is. I am what I am now, I’m different to what I was, that’s something I’ll have to deal with for the rest of my life. Better, no, different.”

Flintoff has been part of England's T20 coaching team in the past few months. (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

In the episode, Flintoff speaks to former Lancashire teammate Kyle Hogg, who helps to coach his young team, and can be seen letting the players know about the crash, and postponing their trip to India.

Hogg then offers some support to Flintoff, saying: “The lads might help you out.”

After his accident, the star is then seen reuniting with the boys, with many turning 20, and jokes around with them about if they've 'been behaving'.

When the team make it to India, he says he feels like a father to the team, and credits cricket for helping him with his recovery.

“When I’m around cricket, I seem to forget everything, I lose myself in the game,” he explained.

“I feel like I’ve been more vulnerable than I ever have in my life in the past 12 months, so I’m reaching out to cricket I suppose again, to help me.”

Freddie Flintoff’s Field Of Dreams On Tour will air on BBC One at 9pm on August 13, and it will also be available to stream on BBC iPlayer.