Top Gear’s original Stig has urged the BBC to stop celeb hosts taking part in high-speed stunts.
Perry McCarthy, who was The Stig from 2002 to 2003, branded the show’s challenges too dangerous for “untrained” presenters.
READ MORE: Freddie Flintoff’s Top Gear car ‘didn’t have airbags fitted during horror crash’
He spoke out after the latest series was axed following the smash that left Freddie Flintoff seriously hurt. Perry, 62, said: “They have to be very careful about placing untrained presenters in a very difficult and high-speed situation.”
Freddie, 45, suffered facial injuries and broken ribs when his car flipped over at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey. He has reportedly now quit the series, sparking fears it could be cancelled for good.
(Image: PA)
Bosses will hold a full review before deciding on a new series.
Flintoff has worked as a TV and radio presenter and he was formerly an international cricketer.
He’s now also known for presenting Top Gear alongside Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris, but it’s currently unclear if Freddie will be returning to the show.
A source told The Times that Freddie has been “emotionally and physically affected by the crash”, and doesn’t feel he is able to continue to be the “daredevil” on the show.
(Image: Publicity Picture)
Freddie was airlifted to hospital in December last year while filming a segment for the BBC show.
On Thursday, March 23, it was reported that BBC will not resume filming the latest Top Gear series following Freddie’s accident.
They said: “Under the circumstances, we feel it would be inappropriate to resume making series 34.”
(Image: BBC/Lee Brimble)
At the time of the crash, a source told The Sun: “Freddie is in hospital after a crash on Top Gear.
“He was driving on the track as normal. He wasn’t going at high speeds – it was just an accident that could happen to anyone.”
BBC are yet to give a further update regarding Top Gear’s next season.
Freddie joined Top Gear in 2018 alongside Paddy McGuinness and quickly landed a primetime slot on BBC One in 2020.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
