Topics: BBC, Documentaries, Reality TV, Sport, Mental Health, Health
Freddie Flintoff's adored BBC series that premiered in 2022 is back for the second installation.
Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams On Tour, continues to follow him and the boys he'd mentored at cricket in a bid to help them compete in India - as well as the aftermath of his near-fatal crash.
Telling BBC what viewers are able to expect from this series, the 46-year-old cricketing legend said: "Viewers can expect everything! Seeing India, tears, joy, life lessons, hope, ambition, passion, wins, losses and a lot of heat. I think it will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, from start to finish. I really do."
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Viewers have been transfixed by the unflinching nature of the series, especially with regards to being able to follow Flintoff's healing journey.
Flintoff shows a never-seen-before home video, which shows the extent of his injuries following a crash while he was on Top Gear.
Flintoff was filming Field of Dreams while the crash took place - so viewers are spared no grisly detail.
A clip shows the former cricketer with a bandage to the lower right side of his nose, scarring on his forehead, stitches in his upper lip and chin and a swollen nose.
He then says: "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 jumps to seven months post crash, with a narrator explaining that the sportsman had to endure a 'number of operations' to his face.
They add: "Apart from hospital appointments, Freddie rarely leaves his house."
Flintoff then speaks to the camera and while you can tell he's been through something traumatic, he has made strides in terms of injuries since the hospital clip.
Standing in his kitchen, he says: "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 went on to add: "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."
It was a tough watch for viewers who are used to seeing Flintoff at the top of his game, but they praised the sportsman for his strength.
One person wrote on X: "I didn’t think I could love #freddieflintoff any more than I did until I watched the new series of #fieldofdreams. What a man, great strength and courage to come back from what he did and you get the genuine affection he has for those young cricketers."
Another said: "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."
A third added: "Wow, difficult to watch. Hard to comprehend what he’s been through. Fair play to him to pushing forward."
The first episode of Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams On Tour is available to stream on BBC iPlayer, with the second episode airing on BBC One at 9pm tonight.
