BBC Top Gear star James May reacts as show is rested and urges bosses to ‘rethink’ programme
Former BBC Top Gear[1] presenter James May[2] said the show ‘needs a rethink’ as he reacted to the BBC’s decision to rest the series. Production for the hit BBC[3] show was halted since former England cricket captain Freddie Flintoff[4], 45, was taken to hospital in December 2022 after he was injured in an accident at the Top Gear test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey. The crash left Freddie seriously injured.
Earlier this week, the BBC said pausing production on the show was ‘the right thing to do’. They added in a statement that they would ‘have more to say in the near future’. Following the announcement, James – who previously hosted the BBC programme alongside Jeremy Clarkson[5] and Richard Hammond – weighed in on the decision.
“My honest view is – I can say this now – it does need a bit of a rethink,” James told the BBC’s Today Podcast. “It’s time for a new format and a new approach to the subject because the subject has not been this interesting, I suspect, since the car has been invented.”
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James May said the show needs ‘a rethink’ (PA)
In a statement given to the PA news agency this week, the BBC said: “Given the exceptional circumstances, the BBC has decided to rest the UK show for the foreseeable future. The BBC remains committed to Freddie, Chris and Paddy who have been at the heart of the show’s renaissance since 2019, and we’re excited about new projects being developed with each of them. “We will have more to say in the near future on this.
We know resting the show will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right thing to do. All other Top Gear activity remains unaffected by this hiatus including international formats, digital, magazines and licensing.”
Freddie suffered multiple injuries in the horrific crash (BBC/Lee Brimble)
BBC Studios also said a health and safety production review of Top Gear, which did not cover the accident but instead looked at previous seasons, found that “while BBC Studios had complied with the required BBC policies and industry best practice in making the show, there were important learnings which would need to be rigorously applied to future Top Gear UK productions.” A statement added: “The report includes a number of recommendations to improve approaches to safety as Top Gear is a complex programme-making environment routinely navigating tight filming schedules and ambitious editorial expectations – challenges often experienced by long-running shows with an established on and off screen team.
“Learnings included a detailed action plan involving changes in the ways of working, such as increased clarity on roles and responsibilities and better communication between teams for any future Top Gear production.” In December last year, Freddie suffered facial injuries and broken ribs in a horrific accident in Surrey.
He was driving an open-topped three-wheel Morgan Super 3 at 130mph when the accident occurred.
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References
- ^ Top Gear (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ James May (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ BBC (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Freddie Flintoff (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Jeremy Clarkson (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Apple deals Black Friday 2023 including iPhone 15, iPhone 14 and MacBook Pro M3 (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Mirror Celebs on Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads. (Follow%20Mirror%20Celebs%20on%20Snapchat,%20Instagram,%20Twitter,%20Facebook,%20YouTube%20and%20Threads.)