Daily Mail: BBC will NOT resume filming the latest Top Gear series

Story from Daily Mail:

The BBC has axed the latest series of Top Gear after a horror crash that left presenter Andrew Flintoff 'lucky to be alive' – and now said to be unlikely to return to the show.

The 45-year-old has reportedly said he's unable to continue in his role after he was involved in an accident while filming at a test track on December 13 last year.

He was airlifted to hospital with facial injuries and broken ribs after the car he was driving – an open-topped three-wheel 130mph Morgan Super 3 which doesn't have air bags – flipped over at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey.

Filming on the series was suspended while Flintoff recovered from his injuries and investigations took place, with reports the former professional cricketer was putting his TV career on hold – and there are now fears the future of the entire programme could be in jeopardy.

Yesterday the corporation said it had shelved the show and it was claimed the former cricketer felt unable to come back as he had been 'seriously emotionally and physically affected by the crash'.

Reports have said the father-of-four had decided to leave the programme before the BBC confirmed it was halting filming of the next series, which had been set for release in the autumn.

An insider told The Times: 'Freddie has been seriously emotionally and physically affected by the crash. He is a daredevil, that's what he does, and he doesn't feel like he is able to continue to play that role on the show.'

The BBC confirmed it had apologised to the presenter, adding that it 'will continue to support' Flintoff 'with his recovery'.

It also said: 'Under the circumstances, we feel it would be inappropriate to resume making series 34 of Top Gear at this time.

'We understand this will be disappointing for fans, but it is the right thing to do, and we'll make a judgment about how best to continue later this year.

'This has also impacted the production team, who we continue to support.

'Finally there will be a health and safety review of the show, in line with our procedures.'

Flintoff, who won the Ashes with England as a cricket player before into TV presenting, had been driving a classic-look £43,000 British handmade vehicle –which is described as a 'motorised tricycle' and does not have air bags, according to maker Morgan's website.

The incident was said to have left the cast and crew 'reeling from the shock', with concerns over the future of the show which has had a history of serious crashes.

After the crash his family reportedly begged him to stay away from work while he recovers, with an insider telling The Sun he would be 'putting his career on hold until he is in a better place mentally and physically'.

They added: 'As a loving husband and dad he understands the fear his family feel about what's happened, knowing that he could have been killed. He is determined to resume his TV work at some point though.

'That's why this decision will be a painful one for Freddie, but he knows that, for now at least, there are more important things in life.'

After the incident his 16-year-old son Corey told MailOnline: 'He's OK. I'm not too sure what happened but he is lucky to be alive.

'It was a pretty nasty crash. It is shocking. We are all shocked but just hope he's going to be OK.'

The smash came three years after the ex-cricketer narrowly cheated death following a 125mph crash.

In 2019, Flintoff was heard fearfully yelling 'I can't stop,' as he hurtled head-first down a runway just inches off the ground in a three-wheeled cycle car.

He had been racing his co-hosts when he realised he was running out of road and about to overshoot the finish line – seeing him spin off in a cloud of dust.

Flintoff walked away from the 'near-death' crash unscathed, insisting he was 'absolutely fine'.

He said at the time: 'I go to great lengths to make sure I do well in Top Gear drag races but, on this occasion, I went a few lengths too far. It will look more ridiculous than dangerous when you see it on TV.'

Flintoff, who began presenting Top Gear in 2019, has also made regular appearances on A League Of Their Own and won the first series of the Australian version of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!

He is best remembered for his time as a tubthumping all-rounder, most notably during the Ashes victory in 2005.

The former England captain finished with 79 Test caps and 148 limited-overs internationals.