LONDON — The making of the massively well-liked BBC automobile present “High Gear” has been halted since a crash throughout filming in December that left co-presenter Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff with critical accidents, the broadcaster mentioned late on Thursday.
The BBC mentioned it had concluded its investigation into the crash — which had initially led to filming being suspended — and that it might now halt filming.
It was unclear when or if in any respect filming would resume, and the broadcaster mentioned it might decide later this yr. However it sounds unlikely.
In an announcement, the BBC mentioned: “Below the circumstances, we really feel it might be inappropriate to renew making sequence 34.
“We’ve got sincerely apologized to Freddie and can proceed to assist him along with his restoration. Below the circumstances, we really feel it might be inappropriate to renew making sequence 34 of High Gear presently,” BBC Studios mentioned in an announcement.
“We perceive this can be disappointing for followers, however it’s the proper factor to do, and we’ll make a judgment about how greatest to proceed later this yr.”
The BBC additionally mentioned it might automobilery out a well being and security evaluation of “High Gear,” one among its most profitable applications that has been operating since 2002 in its present format, a revival of a 1977-2001 eponymous BBC motoring program.
Flintoff, 45, a former England cricketer who turned a “High Gear” host in 2019, was “fortunate to be alive,” his 16-year-old son mentioned, following the accident at High Gear’s check observe in Surrey in southern England.
The Impartial reviews that Flintoff flipped an open-topped Morgan Tremendous 3 three-wheeler at excessive pace.
The Instances newspaper reported, citing insiders, that Flintoff was quitting because the present’s co-presenter. He hosted the present together with Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris.
Flintoff is revered by England cricket followers for his heroics within the 2005 Ashes sequence towards Australia, a automobileeer spotlight that earned him cult standing. After retiring from cricket, he had one skilled bout as a boxer in 2012.
