Top Gear is officially returning to the BBC.
Ed Havard, the broadcaster’s director of entertainment, made the announcement at the Edinburgh TV Festival.
It comes nearly four years after host Freddie Flintoff was seriously injured in a high-speed crash while filming in Surrey.
Flintoff was driving a three-wheeled car at more than 100mph when the vehicle flipped and skidded down a track, leaving him with broken ribs and severe facial injuries that required extensive surgery.
Production of the 34th series of the motoring show was halted following the incident, and the BBC later announced that it would “rest” for the foreseeable future.
In 2023, Flintoff and the broadcaster reached a settlement over the crash, with the former host reportedly paid about £9m.
Speaking at a panel event on Thursday, Havard was asked whether the show would return to the broadcaster.
“There has been a lot of speculation about this and we can confirm that Top Gear is coming back,” he said.
Rumours have been swirling that comedian Jimmy Carr will host the reboot.
When asked, Havard replied: “Jimmy would be a great host but I won’t be discussing that today.
“We will have more information on Top Gear shortly.”
Top Gear was created by Jeremy Clarkson and Andy Wilman and premiered in 2002.
It has had 13 presenters over the decades, with Flintoff, Chris Harris, and Paddy McGuinness making up the latest hosting trio.
It also featured an anonymous, helmet-wearing test driver, known as ‘The Stig’, who was later revealed to be Paul Rees.
The ex-Formula 2 and Porsche Supercup driver said in July that he was in the car crash alongside Flintoff, and has “no idea how I survived”.
He told The Sun: “I remember thinking that if we can get out of this and be in wheelchairs, we’re lucky. It was a terrifying thought.”
He is suing the BBC for damages, claiming that he “highlighted the risks from the very start” but was not listened to.
A BBC Studios spokesperson said: “We dispute this claim and are defending it. As it’s now before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
Flintoff went on to host Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams for the BBC, which saw him turn working-class teenagers into aspiring cricketers.
However, the show was axed earlier this year, and he will reportedly soon be announcing projects with ITV.
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