English cricket legend Andrew Flintoff has shown off the frightening extent of his injuries suffered from the car crash that nearly claimed his life.
Flintoff had to be airlifted to hospital following a crash when driving a three-wheel Morgan Super 3 while filming an episode of Top Gear at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in December 2022.
The 46-year-old, affectionately known as ‘Freddie’, sustained significant facial injuries and broken ribs as a result of the crash.
Flintoff was pictured for the first time after the harrowing incident last September when he helped out with England’s squad for their one-day international (ODI) fixture against New Zealand.
But in the opening episode of the latest season of Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams, which aired on the BBC, he showed the horrific facial injuries just one-and-a-half weeks after the incident.
“Genuinely should not be here after what happened,” Flintoff said.
“This is going to be a long road back and I have only just started and I am struggling already.
“Got to look at the positive side, I’m still here, I’ve got another chance. I’ve got a go at it… a second go.”
The premise of the show involves Flintoff bringing together a group of unlikely cricketers from Preston and taking them on a tour to India.
It was this tour that motivated Flintoff during his darkest days after the incident.
Speaking to his former Lancashire teammate Kyle Hogg, Flintoff opened up on how much he struggled with simply leaving his house.
And on the rare occasion he did step outside, the former England international would cover up with glasses and a face mask.
“But some of them lads have had a tough life,” Flintoff said.
“You’ve got to try and put it into perspective. And I feel guilty I can’t do that.
“I don’t want to sit here and feel sorry for myself and I don’t want sympathy. But it’s going from being in here for seven months, really, and then going to India for two-and-a-half weeks.”
Flintoff remains heavily involved with cricket and is the head coach of the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.
He was appointed to the role last November, almost a year on from his horrific crash.