Andrew Flintoff on the England balcony during the match. (Reuters)Former England cricketer Andrew Flintoff reveals the mental struggles he had to face as a result of the horrific accident he met while filming the Top Gear motoring show in December of 2022 and incurred facial injuries.
“I need help, and I realise I’m not the best at asking for it. I need to stop crying every two minutes,” said Flintoff on Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams on Tour show on BBC.
“I don’t want to sit and feel sorry for myself. I don’t want sympathy. I’m struggling with my anxiety, I have nightmares, I have flashbacks – it’s been so hard to cope,” he added.
The former England cricket would also reveal he has been unable to do things like he would like to. “As much as I want to go out and do things… I’ve just not been able to.”
The 46-year-old has been involved in a high-speed accident since he began as one of the show’s co-presenters in 2019. In 2019 he lost control of a motorised trike, the Time Bandit, when racing at 124mph against co-hosts Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness.
“I go to great lengths to make sure I do well in Top Gear drag races but on this occasion, I went a few lengths too far! It will look more ridiculous than dangerous when you see it on TV,” Flintoff said at the time after the crash.
Flintoff would also look at the positives on the BBC show and would say “I’ve got to look at the positives, haven’t I? I’m still here, I’ve got another chance, I’ve got to go at it. I’m seeing that as how it is, a second go.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the lads again and being around them, I am.”
Flintoff, who played 79 tests and 141 limited-overs internationals, retired from international cricket in 2009. He was the 2005 Ashes player of the series.
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