TOP Gear won’t be returning this year after the BBC halted production following Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff’s horror car accident.
The presenter was seriously injured last month after an accident during filming left him with facial injuries and broken ribs.
Freddie Flintoff has been pictured – with his wife Rachael at the wheel – for the first time since his horrific Top Gear car crash[/caption]
Freddie was seriously injured last month after an accident while filming[/caption]
Freddie, 45, was pictured for the first time since the accident being driven to Manchester by his former model wife Rachael, 42.
After the crash, concerned bosses immediately suspended production on the series.
And The Sun on Sunday can reveal there are no plans to restart as BBC Studios, the commercial arm that makes Top Gear, awaits the conclusion of an investigation.
They also want to give former England cricketer Freddie, 45, time to recover.
The series usually launches on BBC One in the fall, between October and November.
But insiders have revealed that the usual deadlines will not be met this year due to filming delays.
An insider said, “The cast and crew are still reeling from the shock mishap and there are concerns about the future of the show.
“Because Top Gear is such a risky production and there’s a lot of logistics involved in filming, it’s a lot more complicated than other TV series.
“Apart from awaiting the results of the investigation, many of the production would not feel comfortable starting over without Freddie anyway, he is such an integral part of the show.
“The incident was a shock to everyone involved and very serious.”
Ashes legend Freddie crashed a car at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey on December 13.
He was airlifted to hospital with facial injuries and broken ribs and was said to be “psychologically traumatised”.
The father-of-four’s crash has been compared to that of former presenter Richard Hammond, 53.
Hammond was in a coma for two weeks after a jet-powered Vampire dragster he was driving crashed at 288mph in 2006.
Freddie co-hosts Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris have both previously spoken out about the risks involved with the show.
Paddy, 49, once said that producers often keep quiet about how dangerous the locations are so presenters don’t back down.
He said: “The way it works, you just find yourself in these situations, so there’s nothing you can do about it.
“You have to keep driving because there is no other way.”
And Chris previously said: “The BBC has got us covered.
“We get a massive payout of £30,000 if we end up dying.
“But at the private level, it is very difficult.
“I don’t have personal insurance for the stunts we do.
“If things go wrong at an airfield, I’m on my own.
“No one is going to guarantee that.
“They’re not interested at all.”
Freddie was airlifted to hospital and was said to be ‘psychologically traumatised’[/caption]
Freddie co-hosts Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris have previously spoken out about the show’s risks[/caption]
