Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff taken to hospital after accident during Top Gear filming

Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff has been taken to hospital following an accident during the filming of a Top Gear episode.

In a statement, a BBC spokesperson said: “Freddie was injured in an accident at the Top Gear test track this morning – with crew medics attending the scene immediately.

“He has been taken to hospital for further treatment and we will confirm more details in due course.”

According to The Sun, the 45-year-old former England cricketer was shooting an episode for the series at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in Surrey.

The paper said he was behind the wheel at the time and medics rushed to help before he was airlifted to hospital.

A source told the paper that Flintoff was “driving on the track as normal” and was not going at high speeds.

They added that his injuries are “not life-threatening” and he is receiving treatment.

Flintoff debuted as a Top Gear host back in 2019, alongside Chris Harris.

He said at the time: “It’s not often you have the chance to do both of your dream jobs, but I’m now lucky enough to say I will have. I’ve always been passionate about cars and I’m so excited to be joining the Top Gear team.”

The Sun reported that Harris, who presents the show alongside Flintoff and Paddy McGuinness, was also at the Top Gear test track at the time of the incident.

Tuesday’s incident is not the first time Flintoff has been in an accident since beginning work on the show.

In February 2019, he was involved in a minor incident when he crashed into a market stall in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.

Then a few months later in September, he crashed again while driving a three-wheel vehicle at a reported speed of 124mph during filming for the show at Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire, however he walked away from the incident unharmed.

Meanwhile, former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond was involved in a life-threatening crash at the same airfield in 2006, leaving him in a coma.

Flintoff enjoyed a hugely successful international career, most memorably helping England to their first Ashes victory in 18 years in 2005, before helping his side regain the urn four years later.

The father-of-four retired from Test cricket at the end of the 2009 Ashes series, and from other forms of the game in 2010.

He then had one professional boxing fight on 30 November 2012 in Manchester, where he beat American Richard Dawson on a points decision.