Top Gear taken off air by BBC following Freddie Flintoff crash

The BBC declared that Top Gear will not make a comeback on TV "anytime soon" due to the accident involving presenter Freddie Flintoff which caused the suspension of the previous series's production.

The BBC has announced that they've chosen to put the UK program on hold.

Last December, the ex-captain of the England cricket team, who is now a broadcaster, was flown to the hospital by air ambulance after crashing at high speed in Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in Surrey. This location has been often showcased on the BBC show since 2002. This crash was not his first accident as he had previously competed in a race with his co-hosts Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness, where he lost control of a motorised trike at a speed of 124 mph.

The choice to remove the car program from television was made following a BBC external examination into the well-being and safety of the program, which they are keeping secret. Another inspection into the former seasons of Top Gear discovered that there were valuable lessons to be learned about how the show was being made.

After the mishap, the BBC expressed regret for what happened to the journalist and agreed to pay him a compensation sum that allegedly amounts to £9m. He was observed outside with visible facial wounds, and his legal representatives informed The Sun that he is still on the road to recuperation from injuries that have altered his life.

Flintoff isn't the only presenter to have faced a serious accident affecting their health. Richard Hammond worked alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May in the 2000s and early 2010s on a series and had an accident that almost took his life in 2006 at York's Elvington airfield. The car he was driving spun while he was travelling at 288mph, and he suffered a significant brain injury, as doctors described. This occurred when he tried to set a new British land speed record using a jet-propelled vehicle. Hammond was in a coma for two weeks due to this injury.

In 2019, Flintoff became one of the hosts of Top Gear on BBC One, joining forces with Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris. Their latest season successfully drew an estimated viewership of 4.5 million people on average.

The BBC stated that they are still loyal to Freddie, Chris, and Paddy, who have played a significant role in the show's revival since 2019. The BBC is also enthusiastic about collaborating with them on novel projects. More details regarding this matter will be disclosed shortly.

We understand that fans might feel disheartened upon hearing that the show will be taking a break. However, we firmly believe that this decision is necessary and the most appropriate course of action.

The break won't have any impact on the other Top Gear operations including licensing, magazines, digital platforms, and international versions.