Paddy McGuinness has told how he ended up in rehab clinic The Priory before he started his Top Gear job – but only to cure a fear of flying.
The TV host, pictured with a McLaren 600LT on the test track, admitted he was in two minds about the jet-setting role until he had therapy.
He said: “I didn’t like flying – although not in a Mr T way.
“A month and a half before we started filming I went to see a doctor at The Priory.
“It was like hypnotherapy. It was amazing. I’ve turned a corner now. The doctor got me to think differently.
“Now I look forward to it. We get on the plane and fly somewhere incredible like Ethiopia.”
Paddy, 45, is one of the trio of hosts on the revamped show – starting on Sunday – with ex-England cricketer Freddie Flintoff and car expert Chris Harris.
Freddie, 41, revealed he rarely watches his own work – on TV or playing cricket. But he added: “I’ll probably watch Top Gear with the family and the kids.”
Meanwhile, former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson has been blasted by the police and other drivers after he complained about a road being closed following a horrific three-car crash which killed a man in his 70s.
The TV presenter, 59, took to Twitter to ask police why he was delayed and it was taking so long to re-open the road after the crash in Hammersmith, West London at 1.40am on Friday.
On Twitter the next day, Clarkson said: “Dear The Police, I know it was a nasty crash in Hammersmith last night but how can it take this long to re-open the road?”
He was accused of lacking compassion and being “insensitive” by dozens of people.
And in response, several police forces invited him on a shift to see how they deal with emergencies.
Top Gear’s new series starts Sunday at 8pm on BBC2.
