Freddie Flintoff makes rare public appearance at premiere of his intimate documentary
Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff has made a rare appearance on the black carpet, as he attended the premiere of his upcoming Disney+ documentary, which sees him reflect on his life
Cricket legend Andrew Freddie Flintoff has made a rare public appearance at the premiere of his upcoming Disney+ documentary. The sportsman was left with facial and rib injuries after the high-speed crash at the Top Gear test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome, Surrey, in 2022, and was largely out of the public eye during his recovery.
The A League of Their Own star, 47, will discuss the life-altering car crash in Flintoff, the feature-length documentary film out this Friday. Earlier this month, a trailer for the programme showed Freddie saying he is "trying to find out what I am now" after suffering serious injuries while filming the now-defunct motoring show Top Gear.
Stepping out in London this evening for the UK premiere, Freddie looked happy and relaxed as he posed for snaps on the black carpet. The Preston-born star kept things casual in black trousers, a white top, beige cardigan and white trainers.
"With exclusive access to Flintoff and featuring his wife Rachael and close friends including Michael Vaughan, James Corden, and Jack Whitehall, the film documents his compelling life story from winning two Ashes series for England, to becoming a British TV icon, and finally, returning to the game following his life-altering car crash in 2022.," the synopsis for Flintoff reads. "This is a story of resilience through career highs, personal challenges, and the pressures of living under the public gaze."
In a trailer for his upcoming documentary, Freddie describes his "vivid" memories of the crash and says he can remember 'everything about it'.
In a teaser for the 90-minute film released last week, he said: "I've lived under the radar for seven months. One of the real frustrations was the speculation; that's why I'm doing this now, (about) what actually happened." He describes his experience of the crash as "almost like I've had a reset, and I'm trying to find out what I am now".
The programme will also explore his career before the accident, during which he won two Ashes series, and his subsequent return to cricket. He touches on press attention, saying: "Everyone wants more, you're just a commodity." Freddie's family, Gavin And Stacey creator James Corden, and comedian Jack Whitehall also appear in the trailer.
Freddie first spoke about the crash publicly in the second series of his cricketing show, saying it was "a lot harder than I thought" to shake off the impact, and disclosing he had struggled with anxiety, nightmares and flashbacks.
Footage of the crash is shown, including of the filming crew and staff attending the incident. Freddie is making a steady return to the public eye, being named England Lions head coach in September 2024 and appearing in a Christmas special of darts-themed ITV quiz show Bullseye.
His second series of Freddie Flintoff's Field Of Dreams, in which he took a group of young people from his home town on a cricketing tour of India, is up for a Bafta factual series gong at next month's ceremony.
The BBC"rested" Top Gear for the foreseeable future in 2023, after reaching a financial settlement with Flintoff, reportedly worth £9 million.
The documentary, directed by John Dower, will air on April 25 on Disney+.
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