BBC addresses reports Top Gear has been axed after Freddie Flintoffs horror crash

The BBC have finally addressed reports that the much-loved show has been axed.

It was reported on Friday that the BBC had told production staff to look for other work following the incident at the show’s test track Dunsfold Aerodrome last December.

The devastating accident, which nearly led to cricket star and show favourite Freddie, 45, losing his life, saw him airlifted to hospital after suffering severe facial injuries and breaking his ribs.

A source told The Sun: "Top Gear has been an institution on British telly but the feeling is there is no way it can continue after Freddie’s crash.

"The BBC are aware they very nearly lost a presenter’s life while filming a segment."

The insider went on to say that staff feel it would be "bad taste" to continue making such "dangerous material" as part of Top Gear.

However, a BBC spokesperson told the PA news agency: “A decision on the timing of future Top Gear shows will be made in due course with BBC Content.”

The former England captain was filmed on Wednesday speaking publicly for the first time since the accident in a clip released by England Cricket on social media.

In the video, where he awarded an England cap to spin bowler Tom Hartley, Flintoff said: “It gives me so much pleasure to share what is going to be a day Tom that you’re going to remember for the rest of your life.”

Touching on the incident, he added: “They’ll (England Cricket team) share the good times with you, the successes. But as I found over the past few months, they’ll be there in the hardest times of your life, they will stand next to you.”

Filming for series 34 of Top Gear was halted after the accident, and the BBC said in March that it would be inappropriate to resume making the series at that time following an internal investigation into what happened.

Flintoff’s son Corey said at the time he was “lucky to be alive” and described it as a “pretty nasty crash”.

Former sports star Flintoff began presenting Top Gear in 2019.

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