Andrew Flintoff struggled with nervousness, experiencing “nightmares and flashbacks” and was “crying each two minutes” after being critically harm in a high-speed automobile crash whereas filming High Gear.
The previous England all-rounder revealed he solely left his residence for medical appointments within the seven months following the accident at Surrey’s Dunsfold Aerodrome in December 2022 which left him with facial and rib accidents.
His feedback got here in a brand new BBC documentary, known as Freddie Flintoff’s Subject Of Goals On Tour, which sees the 46-year-old take a bunch of younger folks from his residence city of Preston on a cricketing tour of India.
Within the programme, talking concerning the crash for the primary time, Flintoff mentioned: “I don’t need to sit and really feel sorry for myself, I don’t need sympathy, nevertheless it’s going from being right here for seven months, to going to India.
“As a lot as I need to exit and do issues, I’ve simply not been capable of.
“I’m battling my nervousness, I’ve nightmares, I’ve flashbacks, it’s been so onerous to manage.
“However I’m considering if I don’t do one thing, I’ll by no means go. I’ve acquired to get on with it.”
Following the incident, the BBC introduced it had “rested” High Gear for the foreseeable future.
Flintoff has made a gradual return to public duties, rejoining England’s backroom workers for his or her T20 sequence in opposition to the West Indies earlier this 12 months and as head coach of the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.
The documentary exhibits the previous Lancashire all-rounder in hospital shortly after the crash, the place he says it is going to be “a protracted street again”, however provides he’s wanting ahead to seeing his younger cricket crew once more.
“I genuinely shouldn’t be right here after what occurred. I need assistance, and I realise I’m not the very best at asking for it. I must cease crying each two minutes,” he mentioned.
“I’ve acquired to have a look at the positives, haven’t I?
“I’m nonetheless right here, I’ve acquired one other probability, I’ve acquired to go at it. I’m seeing that as how it’s, a second go.”
Flintoff added he thought he might “simply shake it off” however mentioned issues had been “quite a bit more durable than I assumed”.
“I’m higher than I used to be,” he mentioned. “I don’t know what utterly higher is. I’m what I’m now, I’m completely different to what I used to be, that’s one thing I’ll must cope with for the remainder of my life.”
:: Freddie Flintoff’s Subject Of Goals On Tour will air on BBC One at 9pm on August 13, it’s going to even be made accessible on BBC iPlayer.
