Paul Rees, the professional driver who portrayed The Stig on Top Gear from 2019 to 2022, has publicly identified himself and recounted a traumatic 2022 accident. The crash, which involved foremr England cricketer Freddie Flintoff, occurred at Dunsfold Aerodrome and left Rees with a broken back and PTSD.
The Morgan Super 3 flip at Chicago corner
The incident occurred while the pair were operating a roofless Morgan Super 3 at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey. According to the report, BBC producers placed Rees in the passenger seat because they expressed doubt regarding Freddie Flintoff’s ability to handle a tight right-hand turn known as the "Chicago" corner dynamically. When the three-wheeler flipped, the lack of a roll hoop or helmet left both men critically exposed to the impact.
Rees, a 41-year-old former Formula 2 and Porsche Supercup driver, described the immediate aftermath as a scene of "slow-motion terror." He noted that the open-top design of the vehicle meant there was no protection against the physical trauma of the rollover, and he believed the only thing preventing his head from hitting the tarmac was Flintoff's head.
Missing helmets and the two-hour ambulance wait
A central pillar of Rees's grievance involves the alleged disregard for basic safety protocols during the Top Gear production. As reported by The Sun, Rees claims he explicitly advised producers that Flintoff should wear a helmet, but his suggestion was rejected by the crew. Furthermore, Rees alleges that the BBC had removed the dedicated on-site ambulance, leaving only a solo medic who admitted they were not equipped to handle the scale of the trauma.
The delay in medical intervention was significant, with Rees stating that the nearest available ambulance was two hours away. While Flintoff required an airlift to St George's Hospital in London following severe facial injuries, Rees claims his own spinal injury was overlooked for hours because the crew was focused on Flintoff's more visible wounds.
A £12 million settlement versus a £100,000 claim
The financial disparity between the two men involved in the crash highlights the differing scales of their injuries and legal outcomes. while Freddie Flintoff reportedly received a £12 million settlement following his extensive reconstructive surgeries, Rees is pursuing just over £100,000 in damages.
Rees has indicated that his primary motivation is not purely financial; he stated he would have been satisfied with a "heartfelt apology" from the network. he also alleges that a BBC executive pressured him to "dull down" the severity of the event to protect the show's reputation during its eventual return to air.
The dispute over "faulty instructions"
The legal battle now hinges on whether the accident was a result of systemic negligence or individual error.. BBC Studios has emphatically denied any wrongdoing, asserting in its defense that the crash was caused by "faulty instructions" from production staff rather than a failure of safety equipment or protocols. This creates a significant point of contention: was the crash caused by a lack of safety equipment, or was it truly the result of "faulty instructions" as the BBC claims?
It remains unverified whether the BBC's decision to reduce on-site medical presence was a standard production change or a cost-cutting measure. Additionally, the truth behind Rees's claim that he was pressured to downplay the incident remains an unaddressed allegation that could impact the network's duty of care reputation.
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