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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Tina Campbell

Freddie Flintoff ‘set to return’ to TV screens following horror Top Gear crash

Freddie Flintoff is reportedly eyeing a return to TV screens almost one year on from his horror crash on Top Gear which brought the show’s production to a halt.

The 45-year-old former cricketer has hosted Top Gear since 2019 and endured life-threatening injuries during the incident in December 2022, which has left him with facial scars.

While the future of Top Gear looks increasingly bleak, Flintoff has been tipped to retun for a second series of his BBC documentary Field of Dreams, which saw him introduce youngsters in his hometown of Preston to the joys of cricket.

There is also talk that Flintoff could get back to work on another BBC show called Chasing Cars, in which he oversees a team of experts bring run-down cars to their former glory.

A source told The Sun: “Freddie is a hugely popular TV star and any channel or streamer would be thrilled to sign up one of his shows.

Freddie Flintoff pictured with fellow Top Gear presenters Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris (PA Archive)

“His return to the limelight is something both telly execs and the public have been longing for and thankfully he now seems ready to return to doing what he loves.

“He’s already in talks about what he wants to work on in 2024 and beyond.”

The Standard has contacted a representative for the BBC for comment.

Flintoff made his first public appearance since the crash earlier this month when he presented England player Tom Hartley with his international cap.

He won praise online for the heartfelt speech he made when a clip of it was shared to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

He said in his address: “It gives me so much pleasure to share what’s going to be a day, Tom, that you’re going to remember for the rest of your life.

“When you get this cap, this changes your life. It’s one of those things, it’s before and after it.

“This enables you to walk tall and move faster. Play with passion, play with pride, play with belief. And also part of a family of people.

“They’ll share the good times with you, share the successes. But as I found over the past few months, they’ll be there for you in the hardest times of your life.

“They will stand next to you. So, like the lion on the cap Tom, be brave, be, fearless, be proud and enjoy every minute.”

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