- 'Top Gear' is BBC's most popular show
- It is going on hiatus for now
- THIS is the reason the show is pausing
The roar of engines has gone silent as the BBC pulls the handbrake on its high-octane hit, 'Top Gear.' In a shock announcement that's left fans spinning, the broadcaster revealed that the show will idle indefinitely after presenter Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff was seriously injured during a filming stunt gone wrong.
Fans are wishing Freddie the best
According to 'The Guardian', Flintoff is still recovering from what his legal team describes as "life-altering" injuries, for which the BBC reached a financial settlement of around $11 million.
In March, the company released a statement saying it would not be moving forward with series 34 of the show, adding, "BBC Studios has concluded its investigation into the accident at the 'Top Gear' test track in Surrey last December, which regrettably injured presenter Freddie Flintoff. We have sincerely apologized to Freddie and will continue to support him with his recovery."
The BBC's decision to shelve one of its most beloved and profitable series has sent shockwaves through the world of car enthusiasts. "Given the exceptional circumstances, the BBC has decided to rest the U.K. show for the foreseeable future," said the broadcaster, sparking a frenzy of speculation and disappointment among the show's die-hard fanbase.
But don't despair just yet, speed demons! The BBC teases that they're revving up new projects with the 'Top Gear' team. Stay tuned for more turbo-charged updates! And the show does have iterations all over the world as well.
A crash course in safety
The crash, which occurred last December on the show's Surrey test track, threw 'Top Gear' into a tailspin. Production of the 34th season screeched to a halt as an independent company was called in to conduct a safety and health review.
While the findings remain under wraps, the BBC's move to park the series suggests they're not taking any chances with their presenters' lives, as their statement said:
"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. All other Top Gear activity remains unaffected by this hiatus including international formats, digital, magazines and licensing."
And this isn't the first time this happens either...
Also interesting:
He drives his Volkswagen every day!
Longtime viewers may recall the chilling 2006 incident when Richard Hammond was left in a coma after a high-speed stunt turned disastrous.
'Top Gear,' which first premiered in 1977, has had many hosts and iterations over the years. In 2002, a revised, more personality-driven version premiered with Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond. James May joined the team in 2003. They created the stunt- and comedy-focused program that people are most familiar with today.
The show faced intense scrutiny over its safety measures then, and Flintoff's recent accident has reignited those concerns with a vengeance. As the dust settles, 'Top Gear' aficionados are left wondering if this pit stop is just a temporary delay or the end of the race for their favorite motoring mayhem.
