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

Andrew Flintoff has given his first account of the automotive crash he was in whereas filming Prime Gear, saying he thought he “was lifeless” within the fast aftermath.

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

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

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

“I used to be considering, is that it? Is that it? You already know 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 believed, no I am not [dead], I am on the Prime Gear monitor, this isn’t heaven.”

Flintoff then appeared right down to see blood, and mentioned his “largest worry” was that he not had a face left.

“I believed 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 befell on 13 December 2022 at Prime 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 automotive 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 appeared on the floor and I knew, if I get hit right here on the facet [of the head] then I will break my neck, or if I get hit on the temple I am lifeless. The very best likelihood is to go face down.

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

Surgeon Jahrad Haq, who handled Flintoff, instructed the documentary the accidents have been “very advanced” – a mix of exhausting and delicate tissue accidents, damaged enamel, misplaced enamel and components of the higher jaw bone that have 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 mentioned.

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

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

“This sounds terrible. A part of me needs I would been killed. A part of me thinks I want I would 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 considering, this might have been a lot simpler…

“Now I attempt to take the angle, what, the solar will come up tomorrow, after which my children will nonetheless give me a hug, and I am most likely in a greater place now.”

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

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

“When Andrew wanted it most, cricket was there for him,” she mentioned. “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 collection of his BBC programme Freddie Flintoff’s Discipline of Goals, which noticed him take a workforce of younger cricketers from his hometown of Preston on a tour of India, a yr after his crash.

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

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

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

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