Freddie Flintoff
Eamonn M McCormack/Getty
Top Gear, once one of the most profitable crown jewels in the BBC’s programming portfolio and a show that ran for around 46 years, is set to go on an extended break.
The British public broadcaster announced on Tuesday that the flagship motoring show would not be returning for the “foreseeable future” and that it had “decided to pause the series.”
The news comes after a high-speed car accident involving presenter Freddie Flintoff while filming the show, which led to the halt of production on the final season.
The accident – Flintoff’s third in the series – occurred in late 2022 and resulted in the former cricketer having to be flown to hospital. In October, press reports confirmed that BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC that produces Top Gear, had reached a £9 million ($11.3 million) compensation agreement for the injuries Flintoff suffered.
The decision to take the series off screen was made following an external health and safety investigation by the BBC, which they said would not be published. A separate health and safety report examining previous seasons of Top Gear concluded there were “important findings” in the way the show was produced.
In its statement on Tuesday, the BBC said it remained “loyal” to the presenting trio Flintoff, Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness and was “excited that new projects are being developed with each of them”. Further details were not immediately disclosed.
The BBC added: “We know the show’s break will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right decision.”