According to fresh information, Freddie Flintoff’s terrifying collision while shooting Top Gear occurred while he was going at 22mph.
The 45-year-old former England cricketer and TV personality was injured following the accident in December 2022, which occurred while filming the hit driving programme at the Top Gear test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome.
It was stated at the time that he was ‘fortunate to be alive,’ and while he has stayed out of the spotlight since then, Freddie was recently spotted as he continues to rehabilitate.
It was previously reported that Freddie – who stars alongside Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris – had been worried about getting behind the wheel, and ‘questioned whether or not it was OK’, while a source has now revealed more details about the incident, including the speed at which he was going.
The insider shared: ‘People talk about this “high speed crash” but although the consequences were horrendous, it was no such thing.
‘The car was actually going at 22mph when it flipped over. There is a lot of footage and it has been carefully looked at.’
The source added to The Mail on Sunday: ‘Freddie was not wearing a helmet but the situation is that he did not have to wear one.
‘The car is road legal without a helmet – it has a halo safety device – and he was on a private track.
‘They had only just set off and were on the first corner when the car flipped and he scraped his face along the tarmac.’
A month after the incident, it was disclosed that filming for the programme had been ‘paused indefinitely,’ sparking debate over whether it will ever restart.
According to sources, there is ‘no way it can continue,’ with production personnel reportedly discussing the show’s future for the previous 10 months.
The BBC, on the other hand, has refuted claims that it had terminated Top Gear after nearly 50 years.
A BBC spokesperson said: ‘A decision on the timing of future Top Gear shows will be made in due course with BBC Content.’
A source had previously said: ‘Freddie voiced his worries about the safety of the stunt on set on the day of the accident.
‘He questioned whether or not it was OK, given the vehicle and conditions on the track.’
The insider added to The Sun: ‘He was apprehensive before he got behind the wheel and production staff at the track were aware of this.
‘He was obviously used to taking part in these stunts during his time on the show, but alarm bells were ringing.’
A statement from BBC Studios earlier this year said it had ‘concluded its investigation into the accident at the Top Gear Test Track in Surrey last December, which regrettably injured presenter Freddie Flintoff’.
It continued: ‘We have sincerely apologised to Freddie and will continue to support him with his recovery.’
Top Gear is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
