Top Gear producers 'looking for other work and considering action over loss of earnings' amid reports the show will be axed after 46 years on screen following Freddie Flintoff's horror crash - as the BBC insists final decision 'will be made in due course' 

 

Top Gear producers are said to be looking for other work and considering legal action over loss of earnings amid reports that the show will be axed after 46 years following Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff's horror crash.

The former England cricket captain was 'lucky to be alive' after his open-topped three-wheel 130mph Morgan Super 3 car, which had no air bags, flipped over on December 13 last year, leaving him with severe facial injuries and several broken ribs. 

The Ashes hero had to wait an 'agonising' 45 minutes for an air ambulance - with the BBC later giving him an apology. 

 

The Corporation has faced huge questions since Flintoff's crash, especially when it emerged the father-of-four had raised safety concerns with the Top Gear crew on the day of the stunt.

But insiders have told The Sun that nearly ten months on, production staff have now been told to look for other work, likely bringing the curtain down on the much-loved car show which first launched in 1977 with Angela Rippon as host.

In response to reports of the show having already been axed, a BBC spokesman told MailOnline: 'A decision on the timing of future Top Gear shows will be made in due course with BBC Content.'  

 

FULL STORY

 

 

Never was the same after Jeremy.

46 years wow

 

It was I that coined the phrase: All good things must come to an end...

Top Gear lost its way, went from a learning show to a comedy show. Not watched it for years......????

I think the chemistry those original 3 had will never be replaced. It struggled on but everyone new it was doomed.

This is a convenient excuse to give up on a show which was loved by millions only when the three PROPER guys were on. Then getting Chris Evans was awful. I liked Matt Le Blanc and I still like Rory's Auto Trader YouTubes. Chris Harris is ok, and a great driver... but these two not-funny northerners ruin it! I can't sit through 20 seconds of either of them, and NEITHER has prior experience in motor journalism, so why on earth were they employed!?

1 minute ago, 2long said:

these two not-funny northerners

Yes, I gave up on the show because of the forced hysterical laughter.

12 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Never was the same after Jeremy.

agreed.... 1st ones always the best, similar to Rambo, Mission Impossible, Bond 007, Indiana Jones... 555

1 minute ago, Mavideol said:

agreed.... 1st ones always the best, similar to Rambo, Mission Impossible, Bond 007, Indiana Jones... 555

Pete Best?

24 minutes ago, Social Media said:

 

Top Gear producers are said to be looking for other work and considering legal action over loss of earnings

Why, did they think they are entitled to a job for life?

16 minutes ago, Social Media said:

I think the chemistry those original 3 had will never be replaced. It struggled on but everyone new it was doomed.

If you are going to tell us its been running 46 years you must be referring to Noel Edmonds, Angela Rippon and Tom Coyne!

They need to attract the new generation.  Recycling past ideas doesn't work.

3 minutes ago, Chris Daley said:

They need to attract the new generation.  Recycling past ideas doesn't work.

They did that, presenters got injured doing daft stuff for the "new generation", so what do you suggest they do now........?  ????

38 minutes ago, 2long said:

This is a convenient excuse to give up on a show which was loved by millions only when the three PROPER guys were on.

They went woke, and now they've gone broke!

I enjoyed the new top gear, not as much as the last one, but it was mostly good fun. Watching top gear is now like being with your mates rather than a serious car review program. 

Does anyone really believe that those engaged in stunt work never get seriously hurt or injured.
By the way, Freddie Flintoff should be the poster-child for full-face protection helmets.

And - I've never seen the show.  Other than in bars that have TVs mounted on walls, I stopped watching TV when I sold the farm and left the US.

On 10/7/2023 at 11:48 AM, BritManToo said:

They went woke, and now they've gone broke!

How did they go "woke"?

Ridiculously overused phrase.

On 10/7/2023 at 11:10 AM, 2long said:

This is a convenient excuse to give up on a show which was loved by millions only when the three PROPER guys were on. Then getting Chris Evans was awful. I liked Matt Le Blanc and I still like Rory's Auto Trader YouTubes. Chris Harris is ok, and a great driver... but these two not-funny northerners ruin it! I can't sit through 20 seconds of either of them, and NEITHER has prior experience in motor journalism, so why on earth were they employed!?

The first few series of the "new" TG format with Clarkson Hammond and May were funny. Then they just became cliches of themselves and it became really dull.  Oh look, they blew a caravan up, oh no something caught fire, they hilariously tamper with each other's cars while they sleep, they crash into each other ("Hammond you blithering idiot!"), let's modify our cars in to something ridiculous - oh no it fell apart/sank/caught fire. Yawn. By the time the BBC ended it it is was tired and very boring unless you were an 11 year old child.

Then they did The Grand Tour which was more of the same. The last two seasons of GT were just awful, mostly redoing things they had done before (blowing up caravans, tampering with each others cars hilariously, overly scripted rubbish, crashing into each other, "Hammond you blithering idiot").

Top Gear also went through some bad times with Evans, LeBlanc etc because they were trying to copy the same matey format doing stupid challenges, stupid gimmicks and lame scripted gags and it was too forced.

 

However the last two series found their feet as they stopped trying to copy and instead found their own format, concentrating more on cars which is infinitely more entertaining than stupid forced and scripted road trips. I found the last two series far more enjoyable than the GT. Flintoff was likeable, Matt Harris was the proper car guy, and the other one was OK too. It'll be a shame if it ends, but they should just focus on cars, not stunts.

Good about time,