Britt Jones
England cricketing legend Freddie Flintoff has opened up about his physical and mental health struggles two years after his near-fatal Top Gear crash.
The sport-enthusiast has been away from the limelight since December 2022 when he was involved in a crash while filming the car show at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey.
Now, in the new season of his show Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams on Tour with the BBC, he has broken his silence on the devastating accident.
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He said: “I genuinely should not be here after what happened.
“I don’t want to sit and feel sorry for myself. I don’t want sympathy. I’m struggling with my anxiety, I have nightmares, I have flashbacks – it’s been so hard to cope.
“But I’m thinking if I don’t do something, I’ll never go. I’ve got to get on with it.
"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."
It was reported that the vehicle Flintoff was driving - a three-wheel Morgan Super 3 car - had flipped while he was on the road, leading him to suffer from facial injuries as well as several broken ribs.
However, the cricketer went on to reach a financial settlement with the BBC.
The 46-year-old has since spoken out further on the toll the crash has taken on him, and it’s heartbreaking.
Opening up to his cricket team as they prepared to go to India, he delivered an emotional speech.
He said: "One of the reasons I came here is I'm aware the last time I saw you I promised you a trip to India.
"One thing this last year I've been aware of is I'm desperate to take you."
One person asked him: "Are you feeling one hundred percent?"
Flintoff replied with his sad revelation.
"Not really. I don't know if I ever will again to be honest,” he said.
The cricketer added: "I don't know what completely better is. I am what I am now. It's something I'll have to deal with for the rest of me life.
"So better? No, different.”
At the time of the crash, Flintoff was filming Field of Dreams, and the show covered the grisly details of the horrific moment he was injured.
In one scene, viewers could see him with a bandage on his face, scarring on his forehead and sitiches to his upper lip and chin.
Field of Dreams then jumps to seven months post-crash, and a narrator explained that the sportsman had to endure a 'number of operations' to his face.
They added: "Apart from hospital appointments, Freddie rarely leaves his house."
Flintoff then speaks to the camera and explains how it impacted him.
Standing in his kitchen, he said: "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."