The British automotive present “High Gear,” one of many BBC’s most worthwhile and widespread reveals, will cease operating after a presenter, Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff, was critically injured in a crash throughout filming final 12 months, the BBC mentioned on Tuesday.
“Given the distinctive circumstances, the BBC has determined to relaxation the U.Okay. present for the foreseeable future,” the broadcaster said in a statement, including that it was enthusiastic about new initiatives that it was growing with the presenters of “High Gear.” “We can have extra to say within the close to future on this. We all know resting the present might be disappointing information for followers, however it’s the proper factor to do.”
After the automotive crash, which occurred in December on the present’s check observe in Surrey, England, the BBC halted manufacturing of the sequence, its thirty fourth season. An unbiased firm then carried out a security and well being overview of the present, however the findings weren’t revealed, in accordance with the BBC.
“High Gear” has confronted criticism of its security protocol earlier than. In 2006, Richard Hammond, then a “High Gear” presenter, was in a coma for 2 weeks after crashing a vehicle going greater than 288 miles per hour on a Yorkshire airfield throughout a “High Gear” stunt.
Mr. Flintoff, a former England cricket captain, reportedly reached a settlement with the BBC that was price 9 million kilos ($11.3 million), in accordance with The Solar tabloid and different native information retailers. The Solar revealed images of Mr. Flintoff taken in September displaying facial accidents. The tabloid, citing Mr. Flintoff’s authorized staff, reported that he was nonetheless recovering from “life-altering” accidents. Mr. Flintoff didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The TV present, which debuted in 1977 as a regional present about automobiles and highway security and relaunched in 2002, is a cultural phenomenon. It is likely one of the BBC’s most generally watched reveals worldwide. The BBC didn’t say whether or not the present could be revived sooner or later sooner or later.
The present’s most up-to-date season attracted 4.5 million viewers, in accordance with the BBC, and the present generated about £20 million ($25 million) in revenue annually as of 2015. Mr. Flintoff turned the presenter of the present in 2019, co-starring with the actor and comic Paddy McGuinness and the automotive journalist Chris Harris.
“High Gear” was additionally within the headlines in 2015, when the BBC suspended Jeremy Clarkson, the favored host on the time, after he attacked a producer after an evening of ingesting.
