Jeremy Clarkson and Andy Wilman’s iconic motoring-themed reality television Top Gear is all set to return for its 34th season. BBC had put the show on hold three years ago, months after the near-fatal car crash of co-host Andrew Flintoff. Now, Ed Havard, BBC’s Director of Entertainment, has confirmed that the long-running show is indeed coming back for another season.

Top Gear to return soon

While no details have been provided about the timeline and hosts of the new season, Havard addressed the speculations of the show’s return at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Thursday. “There has been a lot of speculation about this and we can confirm that Top Gear is coming back,” he said, adding, “I’m not going to talk about talent today.”

While The Sun reported last week that comedian Jimmy Carr is likely to debut as a co-host in the new season, Havard didn’t outrightly dismiss the possibility and said, “Jimmy would be a great host but I won’t be discussing that today. We will have more information on Top Gear shortly,” as reported by BBC. The Sun also reported former rugby player and Celebrity Traitors star Joe Marler may also feature as a co-host on the new season.

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Why was Top Gear put on hold?

Top Gear, which had been going strong for 33 seasons since 2002, was put on hold in 2023, months after Flintoff’s car crash. The former cricketer, who was 45 at the time, was rushed to the hospital after sustaining facial injuries and broken rubs. The incident took place at Top Gear’s test track at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in Surrey.

Flintoff was driving an open-topped Morgan Super 3 when it flipped and slid, dragging him face-down underneath the Morgan Super 3 car for about 50 metres. “I thought I was dead, because I was conscious but I couldn’t see anything,” he said in a Disney+ documentary last year. “I was thinking, is that it? Is that it? You know what I mean? Just black for the rest of my days? My hat came over my eyes — so I pulled my hat up and I thought, no I’m not (dead), I’m on the Top Gear track, this is not heaven,” he added.

After spotting blood all over him, Flintoff confessed he thought his “face had come off” and he was “frightened to death”. He remembered being in “agony” for half an hour to 45 minutes till an air ambulance arrived and rushed him to the hospital. The injuries also involved broken teeth, fractured elements of the upper jaw bone, and damaged lower lip and partial upper lip among others.

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Later, Flintoff reached a £9 million settlement with the BBC. The broadcaster also apologized to its co-host and announced a health and safety review of the show, undertaken by a third party. It also announced putting Top Gear on hold “for the foreseeable future”. “We know resting the show will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right thing to do,” it said in its 2023 statement.