Andrew Flintoff has opened up about his battle with anxiety, nightmares, and flashbacks following a devastating car accident that he said "transformed my life permanently."
The former England all-rounder suffered severe facial injuries during a high-speed crash while filming Top Gear in December 2022.
Now 46, Flintoff publicly discussed the incident and its aftermath for the first time in the second series of "Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams," airing on BBC One on August 13 at 21:00 BST.
Reflecting on his condition earlier this year, Flintoff stated, "I don't know what 'completely better' is. I am who I am now, different from before. This is something I'll manage for life. Better? No, just different."
One of England's most iconic cricketers, Flintoff played 79 Tests between 1998 and 2009, starring in the historic Ashes victory of 2005 and earning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
Known as 'Freddie,' Flintoff transitioned to TV presenting post-cricket, hosting Top Gear from 2019 until the accident in 2022.
In the first series of "Field of Dreams," which aired in 2022, Flintoff returned to Preston to mentor a cricket team of novices. The second series, filmed before the crash, follows the team's tour of India.
The accident occurred 12 weeks before the scheduled tour. In the documentary, footage captured by Flintoff on his phone a week and a half after the crash reveals the severity of his facial injuries. "I shouldn't be here after what happened," he admitted. "The road to recovery is long, and I'm just beginning. I need help, though asking for it is tough for me."
Flintoff expressed his eagerness to reunite with the team, seeing the India trip as crucial for both him and the players. However, the tour was postponed until 2024.
Seven months post-accident, in summer of 2023, Flintoff was visited by close friend and fellow coach Kyle Hogg. This visit, documented in the series, marked Flintoff's first detailed recount of the accident's impact. By then, he had undergone numerous facial surgeries and rarely left his house, and when he did, he wore a "full face mask and glasses."
"It’s been incredibly challenging," Flintoff shared. "I thought I could just move on, but it wasn't that simple. Anxiety, nightmares, and flashbacks have made coping very difficult."
Flintoff finally reunited with the cricket team 13 months after the accident, resuming preparations for the India tour, which eventually took place earlier this year.
Following Flintoff's accident, Top Gear filming was paused. In March 2023, the BBC apologised to Flintoff, and by October, he had agreed on a compensation package reportedly worth £9m. In November 2023, the BBC announced that Top Gear would not return "for the foreseeable future."
In September 2023, Flintoff returned to cricket as part of the England white-ball team's coaching staff, continuing through to the T20 World Cup in June, where England reached the semi-finals. He now holds his first full-time head coach position with the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.