11-05-2025
Freddie Flintoff's huge net worth, ex-model wife and Top Gear injuries in full
Freddie Flintoff's huge net worth, ex-model wife and Top Gear injuries in full
The England cricket legend is nominated for a BAFTA after coming back to TV following his life-changing car accident
Flintoff suffered serious facial injuries in the crash in December 2022
England cricket legend Freddie Flintoff could win a BAFTA tonight, two-and-a-half years from the horrifying car accident that changed his life forever.
The 47-year-old is up for the Best Factual Series award at the glitzy ceremony in London on Sunday night, with his BBC documentary series Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams nominated. It has been a remarkable journey for the cricket star turned presenter, who was seriously injured in the accident he was involved in while filming for Top Gear at the end of 2022, an incident that left him with serious scars both physical and mental.
The presenter had been driving an open-topped three-wheeler around the show's test track at speeds of around 130mph before it flipped over in icy conditions.
While he had slowed down to 22mph at that point, his face was dragged across the tarmac as he was not wearing a helmet and there was reportedly no airbag in the vehicle.
As a result, he sustained severe facial injuries and multiple broken ribs from the crash and was immediately taken to hospital for what was reported to be four hours of surgery.
His wife Rachael, who rushed from the couple's Atrincham home to the hospital in Surrey where he was being treated, was even warned by a surgeon to "expect the worst", while his son Corey later claimed he was lucky to be alive.
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A surgeon who treated Flintoff later revealed that the "very complex" injuries the cricketer suffered included hard and soft tissue injuries, broken and lost teeth and fractures and displacement to part of the upper jaw bone.
While he survived, Flintoff has been left with significant scarring and has battled mental health issues - including anxiety, flashbacks, and nightmares - since the accident.
In the aftermath of the incident, he admitted he was "struggling already" as he faced a "long road" to recovery.
"Week and a half after my accident," he revealed in a video recorded in the hospital. "Genuinely should not be here after what happened.
"This is going to be a long road back and I have only just started and I am struggling already. I need help. I really am not the best at asking for it. I need to stop crying every two minutes."
Months on from the incident, he admitted the recovery process had been much more difficult than he expected, explaining: "I thought I could just shake it off, I want to shake it off and say 'here I am, I am alright' but it has not been the case, it has been a lot harder than I thought.
"I am struggling with my anxiety, I have nightmares, I have flashbacks, it has been so hard to cope with," he added, as he admitted that he didn't know if he will ever feel "100 per cent" again.
"I don't know what completely better is," said Flintoff. "I am what I am now, I am different to what I was. That is something I will probably have to deal with for the rest of my life. Better? No. Different."
Flintoff soon stepped down from his presenting duties on Top Gear and later received a substantial compensation payout from the BBC, reportedly amounting to £9 million. Production of the show ceased, and the corporation has since apologised to the former England cricketer and confirmed that the programme is off air "for the foreseeable future"
"We have sincerely apologised to Freddie and will continue to support him with his recovery," the BBC said in a statement. "We understand [halting the show] will be disappointing for fans, but it is the right thing to do, and we'll make a judgement about how best to continue later this year."
Since the accident, Flintoff has been supported by his wife of 20 years, Rachael, who he married in Knightsbridge in March 2005.
A former model, Rachael now runs her own thriving events firm called Strawberry Promotions, and met Flintoff for the first time while promoting her business at an event at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in 2002.
Recalling how they first met, she admitted: "He really wasn't my type physically, because I generally prefer dark men. But I thought he was the funniest guy I had ever met.
"He obtained my phone number and texted me a couple of times, and we went up for a drink, and I was really blown away by his charm."
Together, the couple are parents to four children – Holly, 17, Corey, 16, Rocky, 13, and Preston, two – and live in a swanky £2.5m house in Altrincham, Greater Manchester.
Flintoff's impressive career in both cricket and television have left him with a sizeable net worth, which is estimated to be in the region of £16 million.
However, the company that he runs with his wife to manage his post-cricket business activities - Freddie Flintoff Enterprises - reported heavy losses earlier this year.
Having posted a profit of £256,278 in the previous year, according to accounts filed with Companies House, the company reported a loss of £646,823 for the year ending 30 June 2024.
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The company's net assets also fell from £6.9m to £6.3m during this period, but, despite the loss, dividends of £325,222 were paid out to the couple.
