BBC has announced that Top Gear will be rested for the “foreseeable future”, nearly one year after Freddie Flintoff was involved in a horror crash while filming.
In a statement shared with the PA news agency, the broadcaster said: “Given the exceptional circumstances, the BBC has decided to rest the UK show for the foreseeable future.”
“The BBC remains committed to Freddie, Chris and Paddy who have been at the heart of the show’s renaissance since 2019, and we’re excited about new projects being developed with each of them.”
“We will have more to say in the near future on this,” the BBC continued. “We know resting the show will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right thing to do.”
“All other Top Gear activity remains unaffected by this hiatus including international formats, digital, magazines and licensing.”
The news comes just weeks after Freddie reached a settlement worth a rumoured £9 million (€10.4 million) with the BBC over the crash.
The incident occurred at the show’s test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey last December.
At the time, it was reported at the time that the former professional cricketer’s injuries were not life-threatening; however, it has been reported that the 44-year-old was left “psychologically traumatised” by the incident.
The father-of-four began co-hosting Top Gear in October 2018, alongside Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris.
Freddie was involved in a minor car accident in February 2019, when he crashed into a market stall in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.
In September of the same year, the presenter crashed again while driving a three-wheel vehicle at a reported speed of 124mph during filming for Top Gear at Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire; however, he walked away from that incident unharmed.
Former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond was involved in a serious crash at the same airfield in 2006, leaving him in a coma for two weeks; he returned to the show the following year.
