Freddie Flintoff says 'frightened' son 'wouldn't come near him' after Top Gear crash

Former England cricket legend and television personality Freddie Flintoff, 47, was left with serious injuries following a harrowing accident at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome during the filming of Top Gear. The star was rushed to hospital by air ambulance after his vehicle skidded across the runway, and he subsequently shunned the limelight while recuperating from the ordeal.

In an upcoming Disney+ documentary, Freddie opened up his life to the cameras, granting them access as he went to medical appointments, enjoyed cricket, and tentatively stepped back into public life. During a particularly poignant segment, he shared the emotional toll the incident took on him, including the isolation he felt and the distressing effect it had on his family life.

"You want to be there for the kids and you don't want to miss stuff, fortunately I've got four of them," he said.

He revealed the painful reality of his youngest child's reaction: "I spent all this time with the 3 and a half year old and he won't come near me, he'd get frightened of my face, frightened of me. That was heartbreaking."

Freddie also spoke candidly about his mental health struggles post-accident: "I've got PTSD and I get anxious. There's times I find myself crying for no particular reason."

He described the persistent nightmare of reliving the crash: "I see the car every night when I go to bed. It's so vivid. Not slept the same since.

"It's a movie in my head but I've watched it as well in car footage. I've seen it, I demanded it. I wanted validation for myself, this is why I'm feeling this, this is why I'm so bad.

"The memories are so real to the point where I'm talking about it and I'm getting a bit jittery and I can feel the pain in the side of my face, I can feel the phantom pain. It's like a curse really."

When discussing his motivation for creating the documentary, he shared: "At first it was quite strange. It's something you live with. Since the accident, had the flashbacks, the nightmares and things... you're talking about it, you're talking about it quite a lot.

"I enjoy watching the cricket bits, wish there was more of them in it. The hardest part is seeing people talk about you."

During his appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show, he also said: "I was struggling with crippling anxiety. I had to have about five or six goes at leaving the room. Had to have a chat with myself in the mirror. I think because I'd not done anything for such a long time. I'd not shown myself without a face mask to anyone. It was like starting again."

Flintoff will be available to stream on Disney+ on April 25.