Freddie Flintoff: Cricket star to make television return after Top Gear accident

Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff.
Flintoff will return to host a second series of Field of Dreams. Credit: PA

Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff is to make his television return following his hospitalisation while shooting an episode of Top Gear.

Flintoff, 46, will return to present a second series of his BBC cricket documentary, Field of Dreams.

The BBC announced the news in its annual plan, which says the former England cricketer will take a group of teenagers he assembled during the programme's first series on tour

Production of Top Gear has been paused "for the foreseeable future" by the BBC after Flintoff was hurt during filming at the show's test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome, in Surrey, in December 2022.

The broadcaster did not provide any details as to when the second series of Field of Dreams will be aired.

Field of Dreams, which was first broadcast in July 2022, saw Flintoff embark on a "mission to find untapped cricketing talent in his hometown of Preston".

The BBC, in an original press release for the show, said Flintoff will, over the course of four episodes, "catch up with players from the first series" and discover "how the fortunes of the cricket club Freddie transformed have changed".

Last year, Flintoff reached an "agreement" with the BBC over compensation for his crash on Top Gear, with some reports suggesting it was worth around £9 million.

Flintoff was hurt during filming for Top Gear in 2022. Credit: PA

Flintoff had hosted the show alongside Take Me Out host Paddy McGuinness and automotive journalist Chris Harris since 2019.

The BBC apologised to Flintoff in March 2023 over his injuries and reiterated that apology last October when his compensation package was agreed.

He was pictured publicly for the first time since the accident in September 2023, when he watched England men's cricket team compete in a one-day international against New Zealand.

Flintoff, before moving into television, had competed professionally in cricket and is a former England men's captain who played 79 test matches for his country.

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