Freddie Flintoff wants to 'move on' from Top Gear crash
Cricket star-turned-TV presenter Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff has declared he wants to "move on" from the 'Top Gear' crash which left him with "physical scars" and mental health issues.
Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff wants to "move on" from the 'Top Gear' crash which left him with "physical scars" and mental health issues.
The 47-year-old cricket star-turned-TV presenter sustained serious facial injuries after crashing an open-topped Morgan Super 3 vehicle during filming for the BBC motoring show in 2022 and he's admitted he battled crippling anxiety and rarely left the house.
During an appearance on 'The Jonathan Ross Show', Freddie explained: "No secret that I had a car accident filming 'Top Gear'. Afterwards, obviously there’s the physical scars that I’ve got.
"But then the mental side of it. I didn’t leave the house for probably six or eight months. The only times I was leaving the house was for medical appointments and surgeries."
Freddie discusses the accident in new Disney+ documentary 'Flintoff', and he explained it was hard to share such traumatic memories.
He added: "At first it was quite strange. It’s something you live with. Since the accident, had the flashbacks, the nightmares and things… you’re talking about it, you’re talking about it quite a lot.
"I enjoy watching the cricket bits, wish there was more of them in it. The hardest part is seeing people talk about you."
Freddie got back to public life slowly - starting by attending cricket matches - and he went on to film his cricket show 'Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams' - and he admits embracing the sport he loves helped him feel normal again.
He added: "I was struggling with crippling anxiety. I had to have about five or six goes at leaving the room. Had to have a chat with myself in the mirror. I think because I’d not done anything for such a long time. I’d not shown myself without a face mask to anyone. It was like starting again ...
"I’d not left the house for a while, gone down to London to go to the office. One of my mates was there, I had a bucket hat, glasses and a mask and he said: "F*** me, it’s the invisible man" It’s always better when that starts happening. Back to normal. I’m more accepting of it now, it is what it is and move on.”
He added: "That time when I probably needed it most, cricket embraced me again. I found myself back in it. The TV stuff, I still do the odd job, I’ve got bills to pay. But cricket now, back in coaching is my definite future, I’m loving it ...
"Cricket is the one place, I’m there in the dressing room, I’m coaching these lads, forget everything that’s going on and be present."
'The Jonathan Ross Show', airs on Saturday at 10.20pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.
