Top Gear’s Paul Rees, who was The Stig before the BBC show was rested, has said he’s “pleased to hear” it will be returning – despite having sued its production company for damages following the Freddie Flintoff car crash.
Ex-Formula 2 and Porsche Supercup driver Rees filed a lawsuit for damages against BBC Studios in July after being in the car with Flintoff when it flipped during filming at Surrey’s Dunsfold Aerodrome in 2022. He is claiming an excess of £100,000 in damages, while the BBC strenuously denies negligence.
Top Gear was indefinitely rested by the BBC after the crash, which resulted in Flintoff sustaining severe injuries and requiring reconstructive facial surgeries. However, earlier this week, the BBC announced that it was set to return after four years.
open image in galleryNow, Rees has addressed the news, telling The Independent that the show will “always mean a great deal” to him despite the crash.
“I’ve always been a huge fan of the programme, and I’m pleased to hear it may be returning for a new generation of viewers to enjoy,” he said in a statement.
“My hope is that the BBC learns the necessary lessons from the past and ensures that any future production is properly resourced, with robust safety standards and the welfare of its presenters and crew at its heart. I wish Team Top Gear team every success.”
On Thursday (27 August), the BBC’s director of entertainment Ed Havard confirmed the news of Top Gear’s return – but stayed quiet when asked about its hosts.
When asked whether comedian Jimmy Carr would be hosting the reboot, Havard said: “Jimmy would be a great host but I won’t be discussing that today. We will have more information on Top Gear shortly.”
The last iteration of Top Gear saw Paddy McGuinness, Chris Harris and Flintoff lead the show, with the trio hosting together for three years before the show’s high-speed crash.
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open image in galleryFlintoff was driving a three-wheeled car at more than 100mph when the vehicle flipped and skidded down a track, leaving him with broken ribs and severe facial injuries that required extensive surgery. He reportedly reached a £9m financial settlement with the BBC in 2023.
Rees, who was the anonymous, helmet-wearing test driver on the show, was also in the car and revealed in an interview in July that he “genuinely felt like we were going to potentially die, because we had no protection”.
He said that, like Flintoff, he has been left with PTSD after the crash and “still has no idea” how he survived, telling The Sun: “I was acutely aware the only thing holding my head off the tarmac was Fred’s head. My vision went red. I now know that was blood from Fred spraying me in the face.”
He also claimed that he had “highlighted the risks” of the stunt “from the very start” but alleged: “We were not listened to by the BBC.”
A BBC Studios spokesperson said at the time: “We dispute this claim and are defending it. As it’s now before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
In court documents obtained by The Independent, the BBC strenuously denied any negligence, writing that the “manoeuvre was not unacceptably dangerous” and “simply needed to be carried out with proper instruction”.
They also added that Rees “expressed no concerns or reluctance about driving the Morgan” ahead of time and that an in-car microphone picked up him telling Flintoff to go “full power” when approaching the corner, shortly after the presenter expressed concern the car could roll when the front wheel lifted.
Top Gear will return, however the BBC is yet to confirm when it’ll be back.