Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff has spoken at length for the first time about his horrific crash on Top Gear, revealing he has been plagued by ‘nightmares’ since the incident.

The former cricketer and television personality hosted the BBC motoring show between 2019 and 2022, but a horrific accident he was involved in has halted production of the show indefinitely.

According to The Sun, Flintoff has reportedly reached an agreement with the BBC over £9m in compensation following the incident.

This isn’t the first fatal accident to occur on Top Gear, with Richard Hammond nearly taking his own life after a crash at the wheel of a jet-powered dragster in 2006.

Flintoff has since announced that he will be returning to the silver screen, where he will present the following film: On the Field of Dreams Tour, The trailer shows the star talking about the accident.

“But something happened that changed my life forever,” Flintoff says in the trailer, and it looks like he’s about to mention that. Top Gear accident.

He has since spoken in depth about the accident and admitted to ‘struggling with anxiety’ following the accident, with the 46-year-old offering an emotional reflection on going through one of the toughest times of his life.

The comments come as part of On the Field of Dreams Tour, A BBC documentary in which Flintoff takes a group of youngsters from his hometown of Preston on a once-in-a-lifetime cricket tour of India.

In the documentary he began by saying: “I don’t want to sit around and feel sorry for myself, I don’t want sympathy but it goes from being here for seven months to going to India.

“I’ve been struggling with anxiety, having nightmares, having flashbacks, it’s been very difficult to deal with. But I feel like if I don’t do something I’ll never be able to go. I have to keep going,” she insisted.

Flintoff spoke at length about his collapse. (Nathan Stirk – ECB/ECB via Getty Images)

The accident, which occurred in December 2022, left the former England cricketer with injuries to his face and ribs.

Flintoff added: “I really shouldn’t be here after what happened. It’s going to be a long road back and I’ve only just started, I’m already stuck.

“I need help and I realize I’m not the best at asking for help. I need to stop crying every two minutes. I have to look at the positives, right? I’m still here, I have another chance, I have to try. I see it for what it is, a second try.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing the kids again and being around them, I really am,” the TV presenter said, also revealing that she will only leave her house for medical appointments until summer 2023 and that she will be ‘crying every two minutes’.

He admitted that he just wanted to get over the accident but that it was harder than he expected.

“I want to go out and do something but I can’t,” the 46-year-old actress said.

After saying that it has changed him forever, when asked if he is better, he says: “No actually, I don’t think I’ll ever be good again to be honest. I’m better than I used to be.”

“I don’t know what better is entirely. Who I am now is different from who I was, that’s something I’m going to have to deal with for the rest of my life. Better, no, different.”

Flintoff has been part of England’s T20 coaching team for the past few months. (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

In the episode, Flintoff speaks to his former Lancashire teammate Kyle Hogg, who is coaching the youth team, and is seen informing the players of the accident and postponing their trip to India.

Hogg then tells Flintoff in support: “The boys can help you.”

Following the accident, the star is seen meeting up with the children, many of whom are in their 20s, and joking with them about whether they are ‘well-behaved’ or not.

He says that when the team reached India, he felt like a father to the team and that cricket helped him in his recovery process.

“When I am around cricket I forget everything, I get immersed in the game,” he explains.

“I think I’ve felt more vulnerable than I’ve ever felt in the last 12 months of my life, so I think I’ll be looking to cricket again to help me.”

On Freddie Flintoff’s Field Of Dreams Tour It will air on BBC One at 9pm on 13 August and will also be available to watch on BBC iPlayer.