The BBC is facing a new lawsuit from a passenger who was present in Freddie Flintoff's car during a fatal crash on Top Gear in 2022.
Paul Rees, a racing driver who was tasked with training and advising Flintoff, is seeking up to £150,000 in compensation for personal injuries he allegedly sustained in the accident.
According to court documents, Rees was giving Flintoff expert driving advice on the day of the crash, when the open-topped Morgan Super 3 he was driving overturned at the Top Gear test track in Surrey.
It was previously unknown that Rees was a passenger in Flintoff's car at the time of the accident, but details have now emerged in court documents.
Flintoff suffered serious injuries in the crash, including head and neck trauma, and was left unable to leave his house for several months.
The BBC has denied Rees' claims, stating that his 'faulty instructions' led to the accident, and that he did not suffer any injury in the crash.
The organisation also claimed that Rees' account of the crash contradicts the independent accident investigation report.
The lawsuit is the latest development in a series of controversies surrounding Top Gear, which was rested by the BBC in 2023 after Flintoff's accident.
The show is reportedly set to return with new presenters, but the exact date is still unknown.
BBC Studios has disputed Rees' claim and is defending it in court, stating that it would be inappropriate to comment further.
Metro has reached out to Paul Rees for comment, but has not received a response.
The exact details of the crash and the events leading up to it are still unclear, but it is understood that Flintoff expressed concern after the car's front wheel lifted as he took a corner.
Rees allegedly reassured Flintoff that the car could not roll over, and told him to 'now turn right... now full power, full power' as they approached the same corner again.
The BBC's defence filings claim that because of Rees' instruction, Flintoff continued to apply power, resulting in the car turning over.
The incident has raised questions about the safety procedures in place during filming for Top Gear, and the extent to which the BBC is responsible for the accident.
