A BBC boss has said that returning to filming Top Gear while Freddie Flintoff continues to recover from his accident would be ‘really inappropriate’.
Last year the former international cricketer and TV presenter, 45, was involved in an accident while filming the motoring programme in Surrey.
While cameras were rolling as a segment was being filmed on the show’s test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome in December, Freddie’s car flipped, leaving him with facial injuries and broken ribs.
In March, the national broadcaster announced that ‘under the circumstances’ it ‘would be inappropriate to resume making series 34 of Top Gear at this time’ following an internal investigation into the accident.
Now, chief content officer Charlotte Moore has said the focus is on his recovery, rather than rushing to get the show back on air.
‘My priority at the moment is supporting Freddie through his recovery so I think it would be really inappropriate for us to resume filming now,’ she said at a Broadcasting Press Guild event on Thursday.
‘I think when we get to the point where he feels ready … and we’ll get to thinking about getting him back.’
She added: ‘I think we’ve got to talk about what Freddie wants to do. When someone’s in recovery, I don’t think we would push that … I think that would be really inappropriate, I wouldn’t be happy.’
Moore also said that ‘you’ve got to be really human about this and do the right thing’.
When the ‘freak accident’ happened, Freddie was airlifted to hospital, and it was soon after said he was ‘lucky to be alive’.
It was later reported that the car didn’t have any air bags, after claims that he had severe injuries due to the car not having a roof.
Last month BBC Studios apologised to Freddie following the accident.
Its statement the corporation said it ‘will continue to support’ Freddie ‘with his recovery’, while that ‘under the circumstances, we feel it would be inappropriate to resume making series 34 of Top Gear at this time’.
‘We understand this will be disappointing for fans, but it is the right thing to do, and we’ll make a judgment about how best to continue later this year.’
It also said there would be a health and safety review of the show conducted, in line with procedures.
Top Gear is streaming on BBC iPlayer.
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