Freddie Flintoff's Television Future Shifts to ITV After BBC Departure
In a significant development within British broadcasting, former cricket star and television presenter Freddie Flintoff has reportedly made the switch to ITV, marking the end of his working relationship with the BBC. The 48-year-old's final project with the corporation was the acclaimed series Field of Dreams, which concluded last year after three successful seasons.
From BBC Stalwart to ITV Prospect
Flintoff's association with the BBC became particularly prominent when he joined the revamped Top Gear lineup in 2019 alongside presenters Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris. During his nearly four-year tenure on the motoring show, he became an increasingly familiar face across the broadcaster's output. Beyond Top Gear, he delivered the heartfelt Field of Dreams for BBC One, which saw him take a group of young men from Preston, Lancashire, on a transformative cricket tour of India to demonstrate how sport could positively impact their lives.
He also had the motor renovation programme Chasing Cars in development with the BBC. However, a source revealed to The Sun that circumstances have changed dramatically. 'This is a huge development,' the insider stated. 'When Freddie signed for Top Gear in 2019, he increasingly started to become a face of the BBC. Although he wasn't exclusive to the corporation, by early 2022, he delivered Field Of Dreams for BBC One and had Chasing Cars in the pipeline.'
The Aftermath of a Life-Changing Crash
The landscape shifted fundamentally following Flintoff's near-fatal crash while filming Top Gear in December 2022. The incident left the cricket legend with severe facial injuries, fighting for his life, and necessitating an airlift to hospital. He remained out of the public eye for months before making a gradual return to cricket in a coaching capacity in late summer 2023.
In a documentary released last year, Flintoff offered a candid and critical reflection on his time with Top Gear and the BBC. He claimed the corporation was willing to push boundaries excessively to chase viewing figures. 'That's the danger that TV falls into — and I found out the hard way, eventually,' Flintoff explained. 'Everybody wants more, everybody wants that thing that nobody has seen before, everyone wants that bigger stunt. In some ways it's, 'Let's have that near miss, because then that'll get viewers'. Everything is about viewers. Always, always.'
He expressed feeling exploited, stating, 'I should have been cleverer on this... and was just treated like a piece of meat. That's TV and sport, I think that's where they're quite similar. You're just a commodity, a piece of meat.' This was not his first accident on the show; he was involved in two previous crashes but escaped serious injury those times.
Project Cancellations and a New Chapter
The source continued, outlining the dissolution of his BBC projects: 'But by 2023, Top Gear had been slapped on ice and the renovation show is now a distant memory. Field Of Dreams won't be returning and Freddie has no more projects lined up with the Beeb.' The BBC acknowledged the end of this chapter, stating: 'We are incredibly proud of Field Of Dreams and, while there are no current plans for it to return, we would like to thank Freddie, the producers and all the contributors for three fantastic series.'
Following the crash, Top Gear was put on hold indefinitely and has not returned. Flintoff received a reported £9 million payout from the BBC. In his documentary, he revealed profound personal struggles, admitting he initially wished he had died after the crash, fearing his 'face had come off.' His wife, Rachael, shared that she had 'never seen someone so scared' during his recovery.
Focusing on ITV and Future Endeavours
With his BBC commitments concluded, attention now turns to ITV. Flintoff has already fronted the revived game show Bullseye for the channel and is expected to star in more ITV productions soon. This move signifies a fresh start for the presenter, away from the broadcaster associated with his traumatic accident and subsequent criticisms.
The reported defection to ITV marks a pivotal moment in Flintoff's post-cricket career, as he seeks to rebuild his television presence on new terms, with a different major broadcaster. His journey from sports icon to BBC presenter, through recovery from a horrific accident, and now to a new home at ITV, underscores the evolving and often challenging nature of life in the public eye and the competitive world of television entertainment.
