Paddy McGuinness makes stance clear on BBC Top Gear return despite Flintoff crash and cancellation
Paddy McGuinness, 51, has revealed his thoughts on the potential return of BBC car show Top Gear following its cancellation and co-host Freddie Flintoff’s nightmare accident.
McGuinness and Flintoff joined motor journalist Chris Harris in hosting the long-running flagship programme in 2018.
While filming a segment for Top Gear in December 2022, Flintoff rolled a Morgan Super 3 vehicle on the first corner of the show’s test track.
While the former England cricket captain survived the crash, he was left with severe facial injuries and several broken ribs. The show was cancelled soon after. Although Flintoff has returned to television work, he still bears the scars of the accident.
Two years after the horror crash, the possibility of the show returning to screens with just McGuinness and Harris was rubbished by the presenter.
“If we were doing Top Gear, just me and Chris without Fred, then that would be a problem,” McGuinness declared.
He explained: “I’d be thinking to myself, ‘Bloody hell, where’s the big lad?'”
McGuinness highlighted the special chemistry between himself, Flintoff and Chris Harris, adding: “We had a really great chemistry and we all got on really well. We still do.”
He remained open to a potential reunion, saying if all three returned to Top Gear, “we’d do it”.
McGuinness has since appeared in the BBC’s Road Tripping series alongside Chris Harris, though he insists the show was never meant to replicate Top Gear.
The presenter expressed his continued loyalty to Flintoff, noting that his former co-host would be welcome to join them: “I know for a fact that if Fred wanted to come along on that road trip, there wouldn’t be any problems – we’d do it.”
While McGuinness remained discreet about future plans, he revealed discussions are underway for a potential second series.
“We’re talking about it now,” he told reporters, suggesting the travel show could return to screens.
McGuinness is currently hosting BBC One’s Inside The Factory, replacing former lead Gregg Wallace amid his misconduct scandal.
Tuesday’s episode features a poignant return to the Warburtons bread factory in his hometown of Bolton. The visit held special significance for McGuinness, who worked at the factory as a teenager cleaning machines.
He reflected on a particularly meaningful moment: “I was driving this HGV, and I’d got the licence for it because I’d hosted Top Gear. Then I’m going into a factory where I’m hosting another show, and I used to work here aged 16.”
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The presenter was touched to find two of his former schoolmates still working at the factory, describing Warburtons as “a proper part of the community” in Bolton.
In a moment of reflection, McGuinness acknowledged the significance of his career journey from factory worker to television presenter.
“That lad would not have dreamed in a million years that would have happened. So, it was a really lovely moment for me,” he shared.
The Bolton-born presenter, typically modest about his achievements, admitted this experience made him pause to appreciate his success.
“I never think about anything I’ve ever done, and I never sit back and think, ‘Oh, I’ve done this and this’. But I really did kinda think to myself, ‘You’ve not done too bad’,” he said.