Freddie Flintoff was involved in a horror crash last December (Picture: BBC/Lee Brimble)
Freddie Flintoff’s future on a second BBC show has reportedly been ‘confirmed’ as he continues to recover from a horror crash.
Former professional cricketer Flintoff, 45, was airlifted to hospital after being involved in an accident while shooting for Top Gear at the test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey on December 13.
At the time, it was reported that he was ‘lucky to be alive’.
Reports have since emerged that the ‘daredevil’ is ‘quitting the show’, while the BBC has confirmed Flintoff’s recovery is a priority over filming.
A second unnamed programme, which has been likened to The Repair Show and would see vehicle owners bringing in their motors to be repaired by Flintoff and his team, is now also said to be paused.
A source revealed: ‘It was hoped that the restoration show might have been an easy way back into making television for Freddie, who’s clearly been shaken up by the accident.’
It was reported that he was ‘lucky to be alive’ after the crash (Picture: PA)
The insider continued to The Sun: ‘And the fact that he could have been making it this spring meant there was a chance we could see him back on our screens by the end of the year.
‘But it’s not a good sign that the filming has been called off at such a relatively late stage, and viewers will be gutted that such a popular star has been off air for so long.’
This comes after reports that Flintoff’s Field of Dreams is also on hold.
The docuseries, which landed on the Line of Duty broadcaster last year, sees Flintoff teach working-class kids from his hometown of Preston how to play cricket.
Flintoff’s Field of Dreams is also reportedly on hold (Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Flintoff presents Top Gear alongside Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness (Picture: BBC Studios/Vincent Dolman)
Shortly after the programme debuted, the BBC commissioned a four-part follow-up, but, according to an insider, the second season is ‘unlikely to film any time soon.’
Flintoff presents Top Gear alongside Chris Harris and Take Me Out’s Paddy McGuinness, and the trio wee filming a segment on the show’s test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome in December when Flintoff’s car flipped, leaving him with facial injuries and broken ribs.
In March, the national broadcaster announced that ‘under the circumstances’ it ‘would be inappropriate to resume making series 34 of Top Gear at this time’ following an internal investigation into the accident.
Flintoff’s recovery is a priority over filming, the BBC said (Picture: Joe Maher/Getty Images)
Chief content officer Charlotte Moore later said the focus is on his recovery, rather than rushing to get the show back on air.
‘My priority at the moment is supporting Freddie through his recovery so I think it would be really inappropriate for us to resume filming now,’ she said at a Broadcasting Press Guild event last month.
‘I think when we get to the point where he feels ready … and we’ll get to thinking about getting him back.’
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She added: ‘I think we’ve got to talk about what Freddie wants to do. When someone’s in recovery, I don’t think we would push that … I think that would be really inappropriate, I wouldn’t be happy.’
Moore also said that ‘you’ve got to be really human about this and do the right thing’.
Metro.co.uk has approached BBC and Freddie Flintoff’s reps for comment.
Top Gear is streaming on BBC iPlayer.
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Freddie was involved in a horror crash last December during filming for Top Gear.
