Andrew Flintoff blasts the BBC for treating him ‘like a bit of meat’ to get larger High Gear TV scores after near-fatal automotive crash

Andrew Flintoff has criticised the BBC for treating him ‘like a bit of meat’ with the intention to acquire extra TV viewers previous to his life-changing High Gear automotive crash in 2022.

Cricket legend Flintoff, 47, took over presenting duties on High Gear in early 2019 and had virtually 4 years on the present earlier than his horror crash in December 2022 left him combating for his life.

He suffered extreme facial accidents and remained away from the general public eye for months earlier than returning to cricket in a training capability within the late summer season of 2023.

Now, over two years on from his crash, Flintoff has opened up on his time on High Gear for his new Disney+ documentary that shall be launched in full on Friday, and claimed the BBC had been all the time keen to push the boundaries of what was attainable to enhance viewing figures.

‘That’s the hazard that TV falls into — and I came upon the laborious method, ultimately,’ Flintoff defined.

‘All people needs extra, everyone needs that factor that no one has seen earlier than, everybody needs that larger stunt. In some methods it’s, “Let’s have that close to miss, as a result of then that’ll get viewers”. The whole lot is about viewers. At all times, all the time.

Flintoff claimed the BBC pushed the boundaries for extra viewers previous to his 2022 automotive crash

Flintoff was left with extreme facial accidents after being airlifted to hospital following his crash

‘And I ought to have been cleverer on this, as a result of I learnt this in sport as effectively… and was simply handled like a bit of meat.

‘That’s TV and sport, I believe that’s the place they’re fairly related. 

‘You’re only a commodity, a bit of meat.’

Flintoff was concerned in two crashes whereas filming High Gear earlier than his December 2022 ordeal, however managed to flee critical damage on each events.

He was not so lucky the third time and needed to be airlifted to hospital earlier than receiving remedy.

High Gear was placed on maintain for the ‘foreseeable future’ after Flintoff’s crash and is but to return, whereas the previous England all-rounder acquired a £9m payout from the BBC.

Flintoff laid naked his struggles within the documentary, even admitting he wished he had died within the aftermath of the crash after fearing his ‘face had come off’.

His spouse, Rachael, who shares three youngsters with the ex-cricketer, additionally revealed she’d ‘by no means seen somebody so scared’ after being by Flintoff’s facet all through his restoration.

Flintoff’s spouse, Rachael, (pictured collectively in 2015) revealed she had ‘by no means seen somebody so scared’ after serving to her husband by his restoration

Flintoff admitted he not often speaks to Paddy McGuinness anymore within the wake of his crash

Flintoff has returned to the general public eye by teaching with the England cricket crew

Flintoff offered High Gear alongside Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris, however acknowledged within the documentary that he barely speaks to McGuinness anymore within the wake of his near-fatal crash. 

He has embraced the game that he as soon as flourished in, although, after being welcomed again into the England setup over the previous 18 months.

Flintoff revealed it took him ’10 goes to go away my bed room’ when he first agreed to tackle a training function with England, however he shortly settled again in after chatting with the likes of Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Joe Root.

He has since been named head coach of the Northern Superchargers for the Hundred, and was positioned answerable for the England Lions over the winter as he seems to be to develop the following technology of expertise for the nationwide crew. 

Flintoff is obtainable solely on Disney+ within the UK and Eire from Friday, April 25.