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Freddie Flintoff revealed the extent of his facial injuries in a previously unseen home video after surviving a near-fatal crash on Top Gear – which viewers said ‘hit hard.’
The former cricketer, 46, appeared on his BBC show Field Of Dreams tonight which he was filming while the accident happened.
In a short clip, Freddie is seen with a bandage to the lower right side of his nose, stitches in his upper lip a chin, a swollen nose, and scarring on his forehead,
Struggling to speak due to his injuries, Freddie said: ‘I genuinely should not be here after what happened. It’s going to be a long road back and I’ve only just started.
‘I’ve got to look on the positive side – I’m still here; I’ve got another chance. I’ve got to go at it.’
Field Of Dreams then cuts to seven months after the accident with a voiceover explaining that Freddie underwent a ‘number of operations’ on his face.
‘But apart from hospital appointments,’ they continued. ‘Freddie rarely leaves his house.’
Stood in his kitchen, with his injuries starting to heal, Freddie explained: ‘I thought I could just shake it off, I wanted to shake it off and say “Here I am I’m alright”, but that’s not been the case, it’s been a lot harder than I thought.
‘As much as I wanted to go out and do things, I’ve just not been able to.’
He continued: ‘I struggle with anxiety, I have flashbacks, I have nightmares. But I’m thinking if I don’t go out I’ll never do anything.’
On X, viewers showered praise on Freddie for his bravery and honesty, with @jodielliman writing: ‘Wow! I hope Freddie Flintoff realises how brave he is. He is an inspiration to SO many people! Bravery and courage are the words that spring to mind. Anxiety may be there, but with this attitude he will get through anything.’
@jolawrence11 commented: ‘I’m watching this and it really is screaming a healing experience for Freddie as well as the chance of a life time for these boys. It’s clear Fred has been through hell. He’s so brave to let them use shots of his injuries. We’re all behind you.’
@marievonboran said: ‘Wow, difficult to watch. Hard to comprehend what he’s been through. Fair play to him to pushing forward.’
Flintoff was ‘lucky to be alive’ after he was involved in a high-speed accident while filming Top Gear at the show’s Surrey-based test track in 2022 which left him with facial and rib injuries.
After the crash, the BBC announced that Top Gear had been taken off air ‘for the foreseeable future’, given the ‘exceptional circumstances’.
Freddie has kept a low profile since the accident but returned to TV tonight with Field Of Dreams.
The docuseries sees Freddie take a group of young people from his hometown of Preston on a cricketing tour of India.
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Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams continues on Tuesday on BBC One and iPlayer at 9pm.
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