Paddy McGuinness Breaks Silence on Freddie Flintoff Feud
The highly publicised feud between Paddy McGuinness and former Top Gear co-host Freddie Flintoff has been a subject of interest for many, with reports suggesting that the pair had not spoken since the cricketer’s horrific crash on the set of the BBC motoring show. According to a report by The Independent, McGuinness has now opened up about his relationship with Flintoff, dispelling claims of a rift between the two.
In December 2022, Flintoff was involved in a near-fatal incident that left him with significant facial injuries and broken ribs while filming Top Gear at Surrey’s Dunsfold Park Aerodrome. The cricketer admitted he initially thought he “was dead” after a Morgan Super 3 three-wheeled sports car flipped over on the Top Gear track. In a new Disney+ documentary, he made the shocking claim that “it would have been so much easier” if he had died. The incident led to the suspension of Top Gear production, and Flintoff received a £9m payout as a result of his injuries.
Reports earlier this week suggested that McGuinness had been harbouring resentment towards the show’s producers and his co-presenters, Chris Harris and himself, were left without work following the show’s axing. However, McGuinness has now broken his silence on the subject, telling The Mirror, “I love Fred. He’s a good lad. The mad thing about me getting on with him so well is that I know absolutely zero about cricket.” McGuinness also revealed that he, Flintoff, and Harris had a great working relationship, saying, “Me, Fred and Chris [Harris] every day we worked together we just laughed. It was such a lovely experience.”
McGuinness also addressed claims that he and Flintoff had grown distant since the cricketer’s crash, stating that they still keep in touch. “Freddie and I still message. But everyone’s got busy lives. It’s like with every show I do, you work with people and you keep in touch but no one lives near everyone. It’s like lightning in a bottle getting everyone together.” The Take Me Out host also expressed his gratitude for having worked on Top Gear, saying, “It was one of those jobs for me, as someone who wasn’t well travelled to visit the places we did in Top Gear and go off the beaten track.”
Flintoff, on the other hand, reflected in the Disney+ documentary that he had avoided speaking to McGuinness and Harris as he was concerned that their association with Top Gear would be “triggering” for him. He said, “I feel bad I haven’t been more in contact with him and Paddy. I think there were some comments that I’ve not spoken with Paddy for a while and part of it is for myself a little bit. I hate the word triggering… but I’m worried about that. It’s also something that has stopped because of what’s happened to me. Their careers have been halted as well.”
The Disney+ documentary featuring Flintoff is now available to stream in the UK and Ireland. The incident and subsequent reports of a feud between McGuinness and Flintoff have sparked a significant amount of interest in the Top Gear franchise and its cast. For more information, readers can visit The Independent for ongoing coverage.
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