Inside Top Gear’s most horrific crashes as show’s future is called into question

Top Gear has been loved by fans for many a year, but the BBC show seemingly faces an uncertain future following Freddie Flintoff's horror crash last year.

Flintoff was spotted for the first time last week since his horrific Top Gear accident which left him with broken ribs and severe facial injuries.

Unfortunately, Flintoff is not the first Top Gear host to suffer a nasty stunt while filming for the show, though hopefully he will be the last.

So as the future of Top Gear is called into question, here are some of the most horrific crashes to have happened on the BBC show.

Freddie Flintoff

Let's start off with the most recent incident.

Flintoff was airlifted to hospital last December after a crash while filming at the Top Gear test track at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome, Surrey.

He suffered serious injuries, including broken ribs, after the roofless high-speed vehicle he was driving flipped and slid along the track.

Visionhaus/Getty Images

A BBC spokesperson told LADbible at the time: "Freddie was injured in an accident at the Top Gear test track this morning - with crew medics attending the scene immediately.

"He has been taken to hospital for further treatment and we will confirm more details in due course."

The former cricketer has been back in the spotlight recently, as he surprised fans as he watched the men’s cricket team’s opening one-day international against New Zealand at Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens on 8 September.

Flintoff had visible scars on his face, which were quite clear around his mouth and nose where he also seemed to be wearing tape.

It remains unclear if Flintoff will ever return to the show.

Richard Hammond

Richard Hammond's time on Top Gear certainly became associated with big stunts.

The presenter suffered several significant crashes during his time as host of the BBC programme.

The most shocking crash certainly came in 2006, as Hammond was preparing to run at speeds of about 288mph in a jet-propelled Vampire Dragster.

On his final run for the film, Hammond was launched off the track after his front left tyre failed.

The Brummie was rushed to hospital, subsequently suffering brain damage.

BBC

As a result of the massive crash, Hammond spent five weeks recovering from his serious injuries, with two of those spent in a medically-induced coma.

In the aftermath of the crash, Hammond spoke about suffering from depression, paranoia and memory loss.

Jeremy Clarkson

It couldn't be a Top Gear list without Jeremy Clarkson, could it?

While Clarkson's injuries were nowhere near as serious as Hammond's or Flintoff's, he was still involved in a few shunts while heading up the motoring show.

In 2003, he ended up banging his head on a door while driving an MG SV, then breaking his thumb a year later after crashing a Volvo 760 GLE into a wall.

Kym Illman/Getty Images

So there you have it, some of the most horrific crashes to have happened on Top Gear.

Only time will tell if the beloved show will return for another season on the BBC.

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