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Freddie Flintoff Opens Up About Lingering Impact of Car Accident
Freddie Flintoff, the celebrated cricket icon and TV personality, has courageously shared details about the lasting repercussions of his life-altering car crash. The former Top Gear presenter is addressing the physical and emotional challenges of recovery. The incident halted production of the popular series, while he focused on recovering from his injuries. This car accident has had a significant impact on his life, which he discusses in a number of upcoming appearances.
Details of the 2022 Top Gear Accident
The cricket legend was involved in a serious incident while filming Top Gear at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in 2022. While driving a three-wheel Morgan Super 3, the vehicle overturned and slid across the track. Despite wearing a helmet, Freddie sustained severe facial trauma that necessitated surgery, along with multiple fractured ribs.
New Documentary Explores Recovery
A new Disney+ documentary, titled Flintoff, explores Freddie’s journey and recovery following the incident. The documentary is set to debut on Friday, April 25.
- The 90-minute program delves into his successful cricket career.
- The show charts his present-day life and return to cricket following the 2022 car crash.
“I Still Live It Every Day”
In the documentary, Freddie openly discusses the crash’s continuing impact on his daily experiences.
“I still live it every day. I see the car every night when I go to bed. It’s so vivid. [I have] not slept the same since,” he reveals.
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“It’s a movie in my head, but I’ve watched it as well in car footage. I’ve seen it, I demanded it. I wanted validation for myself, this is why I’m feeling this, this is why I’m so bad.”
He continued: “The memories are so real to the point where I’m talking about it and I’m getting a bit jittery, and I can feel the pain in the side of my face, I can feel the phantom pain. It’s like a curse, really.”
Nightmarish Aftermath
Freddie also shared that he initially believed he had died after the collision because he “couldn’t see anything,” despite remaining conscious.
“I pulled my hat up and thought, ‘I’m not, this isn’t heaven.’ I just looked down, and blood started coming. My biggest fear was I didn’t have a face. I thought my face had come off. I was frightened to death,” he confessed.
Impact on Family
The sportsman also discussed the “heartbreaking” impact his injuries had on his four children, particularly his youngest son, Preston.
“You want to be there for the kids, and you don’t want to miss stuff. Fortunately, I’ve got four of them. I spent all this time with the three and a half year old, and he won’t come near me; he’d get frightened of my face, frightened of me. That was heartbreaking,” he admitted.
“I’ve got PTSD, and I get anxious. There’s times I find myself crying for no particular reason.”
Return to Public Life
Freddie appeared on The Jonathan Ross Show to discuss the documentary before its premiere.
“Obviously, there’s the physical scars which I’ve got, but then [there’s] the mental side of it as well. I didn’t leave the house for probably six/eight months. The only times I was leaving the house were for medical appointments and surgeries,” he told the host.
The celebrity then shared that his friend and former cricketer Rob Key started inviting him to cricket matches, giving him the encouragement to leave the house again.
“[I sat] in a back room, not in the crowd, ’cause I’d wear a full face mask for months. I started getting back into it and started to find my feet a little bit again,” Freddie explained.
“So for me, cricket, ever since I could remember from being a kid, has been a massive part of my life. But at that time, when I probably needed it most, cricket embraced me again, and I found myself back in it.”
Flintoff will stream on Disney+ in the UK and Ireland beginning Friday, April 25