Cricket comeback for fast-car Freddie
Top Gear host to present new factual sports show
Howzat! Freddie Flintoff is going back... from fast cars to fast bowling.
The ex-england cricket starturned-top Gear host is putting together a celeb team for a new BBC show.
Sources tell Talk TV that Freddie, 43, will be training a group of well-knowns how to use a bat and ball.
It should be child’s play for the man who starred in 79 test matches for England and was the hero of the 2005 Ashes.
Titled Freddie’s First Eleven, the show is due to air later this year.
A source says: “Freddie is the perfect frontman for a cricket entertainment show. We’ve seen how hilarious he is on Top Gear, and bosses know he’ll bring humour, as well as his sporting expertise, to the show. “Telly execs are hoping the show will knock viewers for six.” The factual entertainment series is being produced by South Shore, the team behind ITV’S new cookery show Cooking With The Stars – which is being described by insiders as the “Strictly Come Dancing of food shows”. They were also responsible for Don’t Rock The Boat – presented by Freddie – which saw celebs row the length of
Britain, as well as his recent bulimia documentary on BBC One.
Freddie, regarded as one of the best cricket all-rounders, became an integral England player and was named their Man of the Series in the 2005 Ashes.
Since retiring in 2010, he has forged a lucrative telly career. He became a team captain on the Sky One sports panel show A League of Their Own, hosted by James Corden.
In 2017, dad-of-four Freddie was the main presenter for Cannonball and All Star Musicals for ITV.
The following year it was announced he would be the new host of Top Gear, alongside Paddy Mcguinness and Chris Harris and he’s still flying around the track, causing mischief with his pals.
The last Top Gear in the current series is on BBC One tonight at 8pm.