Top Gear is SUSPENDED after Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff's horror car crash trends now

Top Gear is SUSPENDED after Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff's horror car crash trends now
Top Gear is SUSPENDED after Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff's horror car crash trends now

Top Gear is SUSPENDED after Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff's horror car crash trends now

BBC has halted production of Top Gear after Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff's horror car crash.

The former England ace, 45, was airlifted to hospital with facial injuries and broken ribs following a collision at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey on December 13 last year.

Officials immediately suspended filming after the crash and began investigating the incident. 

BBC Studios confirmed to MailOnline tonight that it won't make decisions to resume production until the investigation has concluded. Meanwhile, cast and crew are still 'reeling from the shock accident' and concerned about the future of the show, insiders told The Sun on Sunday.

BBC has halted production of Top Gear after a horror crash on the test track left Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff 'seriously injured' and 'psychologically traumatised'. Mr Flintoff is pictured in the programme's 33rd series

BBC has halted production of Top Gear after a horror crash on the test track left Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff 'seriously injured' and 'psychologically traumatised'. Mr Flintoff is pictured in the programme's 33rd series

Officials immediately suspended filming after the crash and began investigating the incident. BBC Studios told MailOnline today that it won't make decisions to resume production until the investigation has concluded. Pictured: Freddie Flintoff, Chris Harris, Paddy McGuinness

Officials immediately suspended filming after the crash and began investigating the incident. BBC Studios told MailOnline today that it won't make decisions to resume production until the investigation has concluded. Pictured: Freddie Flintoff, Chris Harris, Paddy McGuinness

The BBC confirmed that filming of Top Gear series 34 has been paused amid the ongoing investigation. After the probe concludes, bosses will decide whether or not the show will carry on. 

Production insiders told the Sun that studio officials also want to give Mr Flintoff time to recover from the accident. 

Similarly, it is understood that many cast and crew members 'wouldn't feel comfortable beginning again without Freddie anyway' because of the 'integral role' he plays in the show.  

The insider said the accident was a 'shock for everyone involved and very serious,' adding: 'Because Top Gear is such a risky production and there are lots of logistics involved with filming, it's far more complicated than other TV series.' 

Top Gear typically premieres on BBC One in late autumn.

Mr Flintoff, 45, was airlifted to hospital with facial injuries and broken ribs following a collision at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey on December 13

Mr Flintoff, 45, was airlifted to hospital with facial injuries and broken ribs following a collision at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey on December 13

Productions insiders claim Mr Flintoff was left 'psychologically traumatised' after the crash. He is pictured during the filming of a previous Top Gear series

Productions insiders claim Mr Flintoff was left 'psychologically traumatised' after the crash. He is pictured during the filming of a previous Top Gear series

Mr Flintoff's horror collision occurred at the Dunsfold Aerodrome last month while he was behind the wheel filming. Medics at the venue near Cranleigh rushed to his aid.

The BBC confirmed that the father-of-four was hurt in the crash and taken to hospital for further treatment. 

It launched an investigation into the incident, due to be completed in the next two weeks, and insists 'all health and safety procedures' were followed.

Chris Harris, who presents the show alongside Mr Flintoff and Paddy McGuiness, was also at the Top Gear test track.

A review of the accident by the Health and Safety Executive, the government agency, has found no evidence of any serious failings requiring a formal investigation.

The smash comes three years after the ex-cricketer narrowly cheated death following a shock 125mph crash.

In 2019, Mr Flintoff was heard fearfully yelling 'I can't stop,' as he hurtled head-first down a runway just inches off the ground in a three-wheeled cycle car.

He had been racing his co-hosts when he realised he was running out of road and about to overshoot the finish line – seeing him spin off in a cloud of dust.

Mr Flintoff walked away from the 'near-death' crash unscathed, insisting he was 'absolutely fine'.

He said at the time: 'I go to great lengths to make sure I do well in Top Gear drag races but, on this occasion, I went a few lengths too far. It will look more ridiculous than dangerous when you see it on TV.'

Mr Flintoff, who was appointed England cricket captain twice, first in 2006 and 2007, retired from the game in 2010, before briefly returning to play for Lancashire four years later.

Following his illustrious sporting career he became a familiar face on television, joining various reality and panel shows and appearing as the face of supermarket brand Morrisons.

In 2010 he became a team captain on Sky's A League Of Their Own, hosted by James Corden before being crowned king of the jungle in the first series of the Australian version of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! in 2015.

Though it is understood he avoided serious physical injury in the collision, his family reportedly begged him to stay away from work while he recovers from his facial injuries

Though it is understood he avoided serious physical injury in the collision, his family reportedly begged him to stay away from work while he recovers from his facial injuries

Flintoff was injured as cameras were rolling to capture his opinion of the car for the show's review segment (stock image)

Flintoff was injured as cameras were rolling to capture his opinion of the car for the show's review segment (stock image)

After appearing in the BBC drama Love, Lies and Records in 2017, he went on to make his musical theatre debut in Kay Mellor's Fat Friends The Musical and hosted All Star Musicals for ITV in December the same year.

He was announced in October 2018, ahead of the show's 27th series, as a new host of Top Gear alongside Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris.

McGuinness also cheated death after losing control of a red Lamborghini in the Yorkshire Dales in 2020.

Richard Hammond was left in a coma after a serious crash during filming in September 2006.

The ex-Top Gear presenter crashed a jet-powered Vampire dragster vehicle while travelling at 288mph, and spent five weeks in hospital recovering from his injuries.

The former England captain has previously spoken about suffering from bulimia.

Describing how he would binge

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