The BBC is set to bring back Top Gear four years after it was shelved following Freddie Flintoff’s crash.
The news was confirmed by the BBC Director of Entertainment Ed Havard at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Thursday, amid reports that comedian Jimmy Carr, 53, is in talks to replace Freddie.
Harvard said: ‘I know there’s been lots of speculation about this, but we can confirm that Top Gear is coming back.’
And while he said he was ‘not going to talk about talent today,’ he did admit that Carr would be a great choice.
Ex England cricket captain Freddie, 48, was seriously injured while filming the show in 2022, when the three wheel car he was driving in icy conditions at Dunsfold Aerodrome flipped over.
He was not wearing a helmet, and suffered severe facial injuries as his face was dragged along the tarmac, as well as broken ribs.
Freddie underwent four hours of surgery and suffered hard and soft tissue injuries, broken and lost teeth and fractures and displacement to part of his upper jaw bone.
Top Gear is set to return to the BBC four years after the series was shelved following Freddie Flintoff’s crash, (pictured centre)
Motor car enthusiast Jimmy Carr is in talks to replace Freddie
He was also left with mental health issues linked to the accident including terrifying flashbacks.
Freddie presented the show with Paddy McGuiness and Chris Harris, quit the show and went onto receive a £9 million compensation settlement from the BBC.
The BBC said in 2023: ‘We have sincerely apologised to Freddie and will continue to support him with his recovery.
‘We understand [halting the show] will be disappointing for fans, but it is the right thing to do, and we’ll make a judgement about how best to continue later this year.’
On Thursday, Chief content Officer Kate Phillips said: ‘We’re committed to doing really big shows still and when you’re talking about Top Gear is that, even though we haven’t a new series for a while, on iPlayer it’s still massive for the back catalogue.
‘So we know the audience want it back.’
While Jimmy might seem an odd replacement, he is in fact a motor car enthusiast. He has a personal car collection worth in the region of £1 million.
And he appeared on Top Gear many times when it was presented by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.
A source told The Sun: ‘Production have their sights set on Jimmy, he’s the ideal host to take the show into a new era and revive Top Gear.
‘He’s keen to work on something mainstream after spending so many years fronting comedy panel show.
‘He’s a real car buff, too, so it would be a passion project. Casting directors are now working to find talent to join him in the new-look ensemble.’
Elsewhere, Prime Video have unveiled their reboot of The Grand Tour.
Former Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May left the show in 2015, but will be making cameo appearances in the next series to aid the show in its success.
And it seems Clarkson had some stark words of advice for new hosts, viral train-spotter Francis Bourgeois, YouTuber James Engelsman and motoring journalist Thomas Holland
Ahead of the new series, which hits Prime Video on September 4, Jeremy warned them ‘not to f**k it up’.
The opening episode of The Grand Tour sees the trio pay a visit to Jeremy at his Diddly Squat farm, where he tells them: ‘Listen, guys. Seriously. Have fun with this. Good luck. Don’t f*** it up. Right?
‘I’ve got to be honest with you. I’ve actually been watching what they’ve been up to for the past year and a half, and they’re very, very good. You’re gonna love it.’
