A stunt driver is suing the BBC for up to £150,000 over a near-fatal crash that seriously injured Top Gear presenter Freddie Flintoff. Professional racing driver Paul Rees, who was hired as an instructor for the show, was a passenger in the vehicle when it flipped at the programme's test track in Surrey in December 2022.
Mr Rees lodged a personal injury claim at the High Court in 2025 against BBC Studios, alleging negligence. He is seeking damages for alleged injuries, pain, suffering, and loss of quality of life. Lawyers for BBC Studios have denied negligence, arguing in their defense that Mr Rees's instructions led to the accident.
The BBC Studios filing states that Rees allegedly told Flintoff to 'give it the beans' and then 'full power, full power' moments before the Morgan Super 3 flipped. The vehicle, which did not have a roof, was on the Dunsfold Aerodrome track when Flintoff was dragged face-down along the tarmac for approximately 50 meters. Flintoff, who was not wearing a helmet, reportedly experienced a 45-minute delay before being airlifted to a London hospital.
Flintoff, 48, sustained severe injuries to his jaw and broken ribs in the incident. He was later reported to have reached a £9 million settlement with the BBC for loss of earnings. Mr Rees, 41, a former Formula 2 driver and stunt driver for films including Mission Impossible, is married with two sons and resides in Oxfordshire.
While the exact nature of Mr Rees's alleged injuries is not detailed, court documents indicate he has submitted reports from a psychiatrist and an orthopaedic surgeon. BBC Studios disputes these reports, asserting that Rees did not complain of injury at the time or in the period following the accident. The corporation also stated that it provided Mr Rees with medical and welfare support after the incident.
Top Gear was cancelled indefinitely in late 2023, following the crash. A spokesperson for BBC Studios stated, "We dispute this claim and are defending it. As it's now before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment further."