Former England cricketer Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff has spoken publicly for the first time about the lasting impact of his horrific accident on the set of Top Gear in December 2022. In a new BBC documentary, Flintoff reveals he has been struggling with anxiety, nightmares and flashbacks, and admits he feels guilty for not being able to put his ordeal into perspective when compared to the tough lives of the young cricketers he mentors.
Flintoff was driving an open-topped three-wheel Morgan Super 3 when it flipped and slid along the track at Dunsfold aerodrome in Surrey. He suffered facial injuries and broken ribs, and was airlifted to hospital. The 46-year-old says he was 'crying every two minutes' and left his home only for medical appointments in the seven months following the crash.
In the documentary, 'Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams on Tour', Flintoff takes a group of young people from his hometown of Preston on a cricket tour of India – a trip that had to be postponed after his crash. He says he feels 'like a father to the lads' and that cricket is helping him recover. 'When I'm around cricket, I seem to forget everything, I lose myself in the game,' he explains.
Flintoff also reflects on how the crash has changed him. 'I'm different to what I was, that's something I'll have to deal with for the rest of my life. Better, no. Different,' he says. The BBC paid Flintoff £9 million in compensation and has 'rested' Top Gear for the foreseeable future.
Flintoff has since returned to public life, joining England's backroom staff for T20 series and becoming head coach of the Northern Superchargers in the Hundred. The documentary airs on BBC One on 13 August at 9pm and will be available on BBC iPlayer.
