Freddie Flintoff is reportedly preparing to come back on TV as he continues to recuperate from a serious incident Top Gear crash.
In December 2022, the TV personality and former cricketer, 46, sustained facial injuries and broken ribs and was considered ‘fortunate to be alive’ after a crash at the Top Gear test track during filming at Dunsfold Aerdrome in Surrey.
At that time, he was driving an open-topped car at a speed of 130mph when it overturned and skidded along the track, leading to Freddie being airlifted to hospital.
He has since maintained a low profile, making infrequent public appearances, with former co-star Paddy McGuinness recently disclosing that he hasn't had contact with his friend in months as well.
Freddie has now been spotted returning to filming for his new series of Field of Dreams, with images showing that his scarring has healed.
A source shared: ‘This will be a great relief to his fans because it shows he’s recuperating well and returning to two of his greatest passions — sport and television.
‘It’s clear that there is some scarring, which everyone anticipated, but Freddie seems to have made significant progress since he was last seen in public playing cricket.’
The insider added to The Sun': ‘He’s clearly comfortable enough to get in front of a camera again — something which was not the case this time last year.
‘They’re nervous first steps, as he’s recovering both mentally and physically, but the TV show he’s making is a true passion project for him.’
The initial season of Field of Dreams saw Freddie return to his hometown of Preston, but this time, he has traveled to India.
This marks his first major filming project in two years, after Top Gear was officially put to rest by the BBC.
The BBC confirmed in a statement last last year that it had been taken off air ‘for the foreseeable future’, given the ‘exceptional circumstances’.
In a statement given to the PA news agency, the broadcaster said: ‘Given the exceptional circumstances, the BBC has decided to rest the UK show for the foreseeable future.
‘The BBC remains committed to Freddie, Chris and Paddy who have been at the heart of the show’s renaissance since 2019, and we’re excited about new projects being developed with each of them.
‘We will have more to say in the near future on this. We know resting the show will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right thing to do.
‘All other Top Gear activity remains unaffected by this hiatus including international formats, digital, magazines and licensing.’
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Freddie, who has not yet spoken about the crash, was seen at his first public outing since the incident months earlier, supporting fellow cricket stars by watching England’s opening one-day international against New Zealand at Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens.
Shortly after that, he addressed the public for the first time, delivering a heartwarming speech while presenting cricketer Tom Hartley with his cap for the England cricket team.
During his speech, he stated: 'Play with passion, play with pride, play with belief. And be part of a community of people who will share the good times and successes with you.
'But as I discovered over the last few months, they will be there for you in the most difficult times of your life.'
Metro.co.uk has contacted Freddie’s representatives for a comment.
Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams can be viewed on BBC iPlayer.
