BBC confirms Top Gear is coming back in announcement

The show has been on hiatus since presenter Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff was almost killed during filming in December 2022.

He presented alongside Paddy McGuinness

The presenters of the new series have not been named by producers.

The former cricketer was taken to hospital with facial and rib injuries following the accident at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, when he was driving a Morgan Super 3.

The car, which did not have a roof, flipped upside down and skidded on the tarmac before coming to a stop.

After the crash, the BBC said Top Gear would be “rested” for the foreseeable future, after reaching a financial settlement with Flintoff, an agreement reportedly worth around £9 million.

However, the BBC’s director of entertainment Ed Havard confirmed the news of the return at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Thursday.

(Image: John Walton / PA Wire)

Speaking at a panel event, he was asked whether the show would be returning to the national broadcaster.

He said: “There has been a lot of speculation about this and we can confirm that Top Gear is coming back.

“I’m not going to talk about talent today.”

Havard had been asked whether Jimmy Carr would be hosting. He replied: “Jimmy would be a great host but I won’t be discussing that today.

“We will have more information on Top Gear shortly.”

Paddy also suffered a crash during the filming the show.

Talking on the Restless Natives podcast about Top Gear, The Sun reported, McGuinness said: “I was in this race in America.

“I hit a wall at about 70 or 80 miles an hour.

“You could feel your brains rattling.

“Thank the Lord I walked away from it.

“But I remember that night being in my bed at the hotel and literally having a bit of a panic attack.”