Andrew Flintoff ‘thought he had died’ in High Gear crash

Andrew Flintoff has given his first account of the automobile crash he was in whereas filming High Gear, saying he thought he “was useless” within the rapid aftermath.

The England cricketer-turned-TV presenter sustained critical facial and rib accidents when the three-wheeler automobile he was driving for the BBC motoring programme rolled over in 2022.

Talking in a brand new Disney+ documentary, ‘Freddie’ Flintoff stated that regardless of the trauma, he “remembers every thing about it”.

“I assumed I used to be useless, as a result of I used to be acutely aware however I could not see something,” he recalled.

“I used to be pondering, is that it? Is that it? You realize what I imply? Simply black for the remainder of my days?

“My hat came to visit my eyes – so I pulled my hat up and I assumed, no I am not [dead], I am on the High Gear monitor, this isn’t heaven.”

Flintoff then regarded all the way down to see blood, and stated his “largest concern” was that he not had a face left.

“I assumed my face had come off. I used to be frightened to loss of life.”

He recalled being in “agony” for between half an hour and 40 minutes till an air ambulance arrived and he was taken to hospital.

The incident happened on 13 December 2022 at High Gear’s check monitor at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in Surrey.

He was driving an open-topped Morgan Tremendous 3 when it flipped and slid, dragging him alongside the monitor throughout filming.

Talking within the documentary, he described how time appeared to decelerate because the automobile rolled over, and the way his fast reactions as a cricketer allowed him to maneuver his head in an try and keep away from even worse accidents.

“Because it began going over, I regarded on the floor and I knew, if I get hit right here on the aspect [of the head] then I am going to break my neck, or if I get hit on the temple I am useless. One of the best likelihood is to go face down.

“After which I keep in mind hitting [the ground] and my head obtained hit,” he added. “However then I obtained dragged out, and the automobile went over, and I went over the again of the automobile, after which [I got] pulled face down on the runway about 50m beneath the automobile. After which I hit the grass after which [it] flipped again.”

Surgeon Jahrad Haq, who handled Flintoff, advised the documentary the accidents had been “very advanced” – a mix of exhausting and smooth tissue accidents, damaged enamel, misplaced enamel and parts of the higher jaw bone that had been additionally fractured and displaced.

He “misplaced a very significant slice of his higher lip – the pores and skin and a number of the underlying muscle – and in addition his decrease lip,” he stated.

Mr Haq stated the accidents had been within the “prime 5” when it comes to severity of these he had seen throughout his profession.

Reflecting on the restoration, Flintoff stated he “did not assume I had it in me to get by” the ordeal.

“This sounds terrible. A part of me needs I might been killed. A part of me thinks I want I might died,” he added.

“I did not wish to kill myself. I do not wish to mistake the 2 issues. I used to be not wishing, however pondering, this may have been a lot simpler…

“Now I attempt to take the perspective, you realize what, the solar will come up tomorrow, after which my youngsters will nonetheless give me a hug, and I am in all probability in a greater place now.”

Certainly one of England’s most profitable cricketers, Flintoff beforehand stated he’s “loving” his return to the game teaching England Lions – the event squad beneath England Males’s cricket staff.

Flintoff’s spouse Rachael advised the documentary his return to the game was essential on the street to restoration.

“When Andrew wanted it most, cricket was there for him,” she stated. “It sounds a bit bizarre saying it, a bit excessive to say, however I do assume cricket saved him. It gave him a motive for being, once more.”

The 47-year-old additionally returned to tv final yr with a second sequence of his BBC programme Freddie Flintoff’s Area of Goals, which noticed him take a staff of younger cricketers from his hometown of Preston on a tour of India, a yr after his crash.

The acclaimed sequence is up for a Bafta Tv Award within the factual sequence class subsequent month.

He additionally hosted a reboot of darts recreation present Bullseye over Christmas, which is able to return for a full sequence later this yr.

In 2023, the BBC “rested” High Gear for the foreseeable future. A monetary settlement was additionally reached with Flintoff.

The documentary, titled Flintoff, is on Disney+ from Friday, 25 April.