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It\u2019s been revealed that Freddie Flintoff watched the Ashes \u2018incognito\u2019 over the summer, while overcoming injuries from his horror Top Gear crash.<\/p>\n
Last week, the former England cricket player and TV host was photographed for the first time since the shock accident while filming Top Gear in December 2022 which it was said he was \u2018lucky\u2019 to have survived.<\/p>\n
Since the crash, Freddie, 45, has kept a low profile while he recovers.<\/p>\n
While he was seen watching England\u2019s opening one-day international against New Zealand in Cardiff last week, it\u2019s now been said he was also at the Ashes, which ended in a draw last month. \u00a0<\/p>\n
The news was revealed by Piers Morgan, who said he was \u2018chuffed\u2019 to see his \u2018good friend\u2019 returning to public life \u2013 explaining Freddie watched the series in back offices as a guest of England managing director Rob Key.<\/p>\n
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\u2018I\u2019d heard from various people that through the Ashes series that he was turning up as a guest of Rob Key, who runs England cricket now and is one of his great mates, but they were very incognito and watching it in back offices on TV. A very small number of people went to see him,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
\u2018I was encouraged, but he\u2019s still got a lot of scarring on his face and signs of injury nine months after the crash.<\/p>\n
\u2018I know he\u2019s had a lot of mental health issues because of it, as you would expect because it was a horrendous crash that nearly killed him,\u2019 he added when speaking on talkSport, as reported by the Daily Mail. <\/p>\n
Piers also said Freddie had recently got in touch, with the broadcaster sharing the retired cricketer was in a \u2018better place\u2019 despite the challenges of the past year.<\/p>\n
\u2018Freddie is gingerly putting himself back into the game and it\u2019s brilliant to see him laughing and joking and interacting with the public again. I think he needs that,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
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\u2018I\u2019ve known him for a long time. He\u2019s a good friend of mine and we were really worried about him because the reports of how bad the crash was were that it was real life and death, and he was lucky to survive.<\/p>\n
\u2018I\u2019m so chuffed for him and actually got a message from him yesterday. He\u2019s not really been interacting with anybody as he\u2019s been trying to get himself back on track. Now he\u2019s in a better place and I\u2019m really pleased about that.\u2019<\/p>\n
After breaking a rib and suffering facial injuries in the crash, which happened while shooting an episode of Top Gear at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in Surrey, it was revealed that Freddie\u2019s three-wheeled open-top car, which did not have air bags, had flipped.<\/p>\n
He then had to wait an \u2018agonising\u2019 45 minutes for an air ambulance \u2013 with the BBC later offering him an apology.<\/p>\n
It was revealed this week that Freddie would be returning to screens \u2018this winter\u2019, with reports he is gearing up to resume filming Field of Dreams, which sees him go on the hunt for untapped cricketing talent.<\/p>\n
A source told The Mirror: \u2018Everyone is thrilled and relieved Freddie is gearing up to get back to work.<\/p>\n