Freddie Flintoff: a timeline of how the Preston cricket star's 2023 went following Top Gear crash

Preston born cricketer turned television presenter Freddie Flintoff ended 2022 on a low as he suffered a horrific crash whilst filming an episode of the BBC show Top Gear.

The 46-year-old was left with facial injuries and several broken ribs when his open-topped three-wheel Morgan Super 3 reportedly flipped and slid along the track at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome on December 13 2022.

Since then, as we entered 2023, Freddie stayed largely out of the limelight but gradually started to make a return to the public eye in the latter half of the year.

Take a look below at Freddie's 2023 in summary below:

March

Freddie stepped down from his presenting role on Top Gear as filming for the new series is halted. The BBC also apologise to Freddie in a statement which read: “BBC Studios have sincerely apologised to Freddie and will continue to support him with his recovery. Under the circumstances, we feel it would be inappropriate to resume making series 34 of Top Gear at this time.

"We understand this will be disappointing for fans, but it is the right thing to do, and we’ll make a judgment about how best to continue later this year.”

Summer

Coaxed by close friend and director of England men's cricket Rob Key, Freddie made a return to the cricketing world near the end of the summer as he linked up with the England Cricket Team in an unpaid mentorship capacity unpaid role before the World Cup.

In July, former Top Gear presenter Angela Rippon also revealed why Freddie would likely not return to the show. The Strictly star told the Sun: "I think Freddie and his family decided this was an ask and a task too far and his life is more important than a television programme."

September

Freddie is pictured publicly for the first time as he attended the first Metro Bank One Day International between England and New Zealand on September 8. Spotted on the England balcony, his facial injuries were still visible.

In September, it was also reported that Freddie would be back on our screens again soon for the second series of another of his popular TV shows-BBC’s Field of Dreams.

At the end of the month, he is then seen out near his £5.25m home in Hale, Manchester training a guide dog, a pursuit he adopted as part of his rehabilitation programme.

October

At the start of the month, Freddie is filmed speaking publicly for the first time this year as he made a heartfelt speech in front of the current England cricket team. Freddie, whose scars look fainter in the video, presented cricketer Tom Hartley with his cap for the England Cricket team as he also referenced his own “hard” times over the past few months. 

A revelation is also made regarding Freddie's crash as although originally the public were told the crash happened at 130mph, in October, a source told the Mail on Sunday that actually the car was only going a shocking 22mph.

Freddie resigns from his role as a director for land develoment company Logik Developlments, who in January had submitted planning applications for a controversial ‘Cuerdale Employment site’ in Samlesbury.

November

Freddie made his biggest step yet in returning to the sport that made him as he is confirmed as the new head coach of the Leeds based cricket team Northern Superchargers in next summer’s The Hundred.

Later that month, Top Gear is offically cancelled following Freddie's crash. On November 21, a statement by the BBC read: "Given the exceptional circumstances, the BBC has decided to rest the UK show for the foreseeable future. The BBC remains committed to Freddie, Chris and Paddy who have been at the heart of the show's renaissance since 2019, and we're excited about new projects being developed with each of them. We will have more to say in the near future on this. We know resting the show will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right thing to do."

December

The former Greenlands Community Primary School and Ribbleton Hall High School pupil celebrated his 46th birthday on Wednesday, December 6. In pictures taken by his wife Rachael and son Corey, obtained by The Sun, Freddie can be seen smiling on a fairground round at a winter wonderland wearing sunglasses and a flat cap in one image, and posing with one of his children in another.

The week of his birthday, it is also announced that Freddie will rejoin England's backroom staff for their T20 series against West Indies as a paid team mentor. He flies out to Barbados ahead of five T20 matches which start on December 12 and is pictured on December 18 during the team's training: the star seemed to be in high spirits as he practiced his cricketing skills and applauded the England team.

Whilst in Trinidad, Freddie and the rest of the England team had to go into lockdown at their hotel after a 47-year-old man was shot dead yards from the front door of the building during their first night in Trinidad.