Former England cricketer Freddie Flintoff is set to front a new three-part ITV documentary series in which he will travel to Nepal with the surgeon who saved his face. The series will follow Flintoff and maxillofacial surgeon Mr Jahrad Haq as they deliver life-changing facial surgery to people in the South Asian country who lack access to free healthcare.
Flintoff, 48, suffered devastating facial injuries in a car crash while filming BBC1’s Top Gear in December 2022. He underwent extensive reconstructive surgery led by Mr Haq. In the new series, Flintoff will return to screens with renewed purpose, witnessing how specialist surgical care can be delivered in countries with limited healthcare access.
The father of four will travel around Nepal to meet patients of all ages and backgrounds, experiencing their lives before their surgery. Mr Haq will team up with the charity Face Facts, which operates on patients who have little or no access to free healthcare, aiming to create sustainable change within the system.
Executive producer Clare Cameron said: “This series is about humanity, resilience and the power of shared expertise. We’re privileged to be working with Face Facts, Mr Haq and Freddie, whose own experiences will bring real empathy and openness to the story.” ITV entertainment commissioning editor Joe Mace added: “We are excited to follow Freddie and the team on this journey, one that will combine intimate personal storytelling with extraordinary medical access.”
Speaking about the crash, Flintoff recalled: “I thought I was dead, because I was conscious but I couldn't see anything… I thought my face had come off. I was frightened to death.” Mr Haq described the injuries as among the most severe he had seen, involving significant loss of upper and lower lip tissue, broken teeth, and fractures to the upper jaw.
