BBC confirms Top Gear is coming back

27 Aug 2026 • 6:19 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

BBC confirms Top Gear is coming back

The BBC has confirmed Top Gear is returning to the broadcaster.

The show has been on hiatus since presenter Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff was almost killed during filming in December 2022.

The former cricketer was taken to hospital with facial and rib injuries following the accident at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, when he was driving a Morgan Super 3.

Freddie Flintoff (Tim Goode/PA) (PA Archive)

The car, which did not have a roof, flipped upside down and skidded on the tarmac before coming to a stop.

After the crash, the BBC said Top Gear would be “rested” for the foreseeable future, after reaching a financial settlement with Flintoff, an agreement reportedly worth around £9 million.

However, the BBC’s director of entertainment Ed Havard confirmed the news of the return at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Thursday.

Speaking at a panel event, he was asked whether the show would be returning to the national broadcaster.

He said: “There has been a lot of speculation about this and we can confirm that Top Gear is coming back.

Jimmy Carr has been speculated to take over as host (Ian West/ PA) (PA Archive)

“I’m not going to talk about talent today.”

Havard had been asked whether Jimmy Carr would be hosting. He replied: “Jimmy would be a great host but I won’t be discussing that today.

“We will have more information on Top Gear shortly.”

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