The BBC is planning to bring back Top Gear, four years after it was shelved following Freddie Flintoff’s crash.
The news was confirmed by 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 has been a lot of speculation about this, but we can confirm that Top Gear is coming back.’
And while he said he wouldn’t “talk about talent today,” he did admit that Carr would be a good choice.
Former England cricket captain Freddie, 48, was seriously injured while filming the show in 2022 when the three-wheeled car he was driving overturned in icy conditions at Dunsfold Aerodrome.
He was not wearing a helmet and suffered serious facial injuries when his face was dragged across the tarmac, as well as broken ribs.
Freddie underwent a four-hour operation and suffered hard and soft tissue injuries, broken and lost teeth and fractures and displacement of part of his upper jaw bone.
Top Gear returns to the BBC four years after the series was suspended following Freddie Flintoff’s crash (pictured centre)
Car enthusiast Jimmy Carr is in talks to replace Freddie
He was also left with psychological problems related to the accident, including terrifying flashbacks.
Freddie presented the show with Paddy McGuiness and Chris Harris, quit the show and received a £9 million compensation settlement from the BBC.
The BBC said in 2023: ‘We have sincerely apologized to Freddie and will continue to support him in his recovery.
‘We understand [halting the show] It will be a disappointment for the fans, but it is the right thing to do and we will make a judgment later this year on the best way to proceed.”
On Thursday, Chief Content Officer Kate Phillips said: ‘We’re committed to still doing really big shows and when you talk about Top Gear, even though we haven’t had a new series for a while, on iPlayer it’s still huge for the back catalogue.
“So we know the public wants it back.”
While Jimmy may seem like an odd substitute, he is in fact a car enthusiast. He has a personal car collection worth around £1 million.
And he appeared many times on Top Gear when it was presented by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.
A source said The sun: ‘Production has set its sights on Jimmy, he is the ideal host to take the show into a new era and breathe new life into Top Gear.
“He’s keen to work on something mainstream after spending so many years fronting a comedy panel show.
‘He’s also a real car enthusiast, so it would be a passion project. Casting directors are now working to find talent to join him in the new ensemble.”
Elsewhere, Prime Video has 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 make guest appearances in the next series to help the show’s success.
And it seems Clarkson had some sharp advice for new hosts, viral trainspotter Francis Bourgeois, YouTuber James Engelsman and motoring journalist Thomas Holland
Ahead of the new series, which debuts on Prime Video on September 4, Jeremy warned them not to “screw it up.”
In the opening episode of The Grand Tour, the trio visits Jeremy at his Diddly Squat farm, where he tells them, “Listen, guys. Serious. Have fun with this. Success. Don’t screw it up. Right?
‘I have to be honest with you. I’ve been watching what they’ve been up to for the last year and a half, and they’re very, very good. You’ll love it.’
