Top Gear presenter Paddy McGuinness has opened up on the future of the show and admitted that he, Freddie Flintoff and Chris Harris would all be “up for it” again.
Back in November 2023, the broadcaster confirmed that Top Gear would be pulled from production “for the foreseeable future”.
Whilst filming for the series, Flintoff was driving at high speeds when his car crashed and flipped upside down, before dragging the star across the floor.
He was airlifted to hospital where he was treated for his injuries, with his son later noting that his father was “lucky to be alive”.
Since then, filming for the rest of the series had been halted, with the BBC confirming they had “rested” the show for now.
McGuinness has recently opened up about the future of the series and admitted that it has “not been cancelled”, with all three presenters up for returning to the show.
Top Gear star Paddy McGuinness claimed that Freddie and Chris are also up for a Top Gear return
BBC
He told virginradio.co.uk: “It’s what’s been put out there by the BBC. Top Gear hasn’t been cancelled. It’s just on hold at the minute while they get a few things in place.
“This isn’t me being like an MP, it’s what we know. So let’s see what happens. We’re all up for doing it, but it’s just when the BBC feel it’s right to do it again.”
Since the accident, Flintoff has been away from the spotlight, but the BBC recently revealed that the former cricketer will be taking on his latest series of Field of Dreams, as planned.
The show was first commissioned back in October 2022 but not further updates had been given after his accident, which occurred two months later.
Freddie suffered severe injuries back in December 2022
PA
Whilst McGuinness remained certain that the three of them would return to the show, he previously noted that he had not spoken to his co-star in a long time.
The Sun reported that it had been “10 months” since the pair spoke, with the Take Me Out star noting to the publication: “Who knows what he must be going through?
“I still see his wife and we still chat, and we have the same barber, and it’s all lovely. I messaged Fred recently saying, ‘Look, I can’t begin to think what you’re going through.
“But rather than me bombarding you with loads of messages, which can be annoying, if you can’t be a***d with that, I’m always here.
Paddy confirmed the future of the BBC series
ITV/BBC
“I hope you’re well and please God, I’ll see you soon’. You just can’t begin to put yourself into his shoes. No one can know what’s going on in his head.”
Whilst Flintoff is set to kick off his own series, McGuinness and Harris are pairing back up for a new travelogue series, titled Chris & Paddy: Roadtrip.
McGuinness noted that the show will be “totally different” to Top Gear, which will see viewers involved “within a few minutes” of the first episode.
