Featured Image Credit: Clive Rose/Getty Images/BBC
Topics: BBC, Freddie Flintoff, TV and Film, Top Gear, Celebrity
Jess Battison
Topics: BBC, Freddie Flintoff, TV and Film, Top Gear, Celebrity
The BBC has confirmed that Top Gear has been ‘rested’ following Freddie Flintoff's crash.
The broadcaster announced the motoring show will be on 'rest' for the foreseeable future.
Flintoff was seriously injured in a crash during filming last December, leaving the the fate of the programme in question.
Production of Top Gear was halted after the former England cricket captain was injured at the test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, with the BBC saying it would be 'inappropriate' to continue.
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Since 2019, the show was presented by Chris Harris, Paddy McGuinness and Flintoff.
In a statement to the PA news agency, the BBC said: "Given the exceptional circumstances, the BBC has decided to rest the UK show for the foreseeable future.
“The BBC remains committed to Freddie, Chris and Paddy who have been at the heart of the show’s renaissance since 2019, and we’re excited about new projects being developed with each of them.
“We will have more to say in the near future on this. We know resting the show will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right thing to do.
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“All other Top Gear activity remains unaffected by this hiatus including international formats, digital, magazines and licensing.”
Flintoff recently reached a financial settlement with the BBC following last year's accident.
He was hospitalised following the horror crash with broken ribs and facial injuries.
According to The Sun, the financial agreement is worth £9 million and is said to be based on two years of earnings he is believed to have missed out on.
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As well as the show being 'rested', BBC Studios also said a health and safety production of review, which didn't cover Flintoff's accident but looked at prior seasons, found 'while BBC Studios had complied with the required BBC policies and industry best practice in making the show, there were important learnings which would need to be rigorously applied to future Top Gear UK productions'.
A separate investigation into Flintoff's crash at the test track was concluded in March and the findings are not being published.
After first being seen in public since the accident back in September, Flintoff is said to be making his comeback to telly.
The cricket star is set to return for a second series of Field of Dreams where he scours his native Preston to sign up potential cricket talent.
So no more fast cars, more fast balls for Flintoff.