The original ‘Stig’ has spoken out over the BBC’s decision to cancel Top Gear after presenter Freddie Flintoff and another crew member were hurt in a devastating crash in December.

THE ORIGINAL ‘Stig’ has spoken out over the BBC’s decision to cancel Top Gear after presenter Freddie Flintoff and another crew member were hurt in a devastating crash in December.
The presenter was injured in December at Top Gear’s test track at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in Surrey.
Commenting on the decision which later followed to axe the series, Perry McCarthy told GB News
“I just find it bizarre. First off, of course, is that everybody wishes well to Freddie, and I hope his injuries aren’t too bad and he repairs quickly.
“But we just have been left in the dark about the nature of the accident, what exactly went on, I really have tried to see what has happened.
“So it’s been shielded, and it seems to be covered up; why don’t we know what’s going on, which makes it quite difficult to comment on correctly.
“But to stop filming and to be seen to apologise to Freddie, what does that lead you to think?
“A point I made recently is that I don’t know what the viewing figures are, but if they’re coming down, and Top Gear, I guarantee it is an expensive programme to make, is somebody looking for some excuse to actually cancel Top Gear going forward?
“I don’t understand why we’re getting so little information coming out of the BBC on what has been a worldwide and popular TV show.
“I can guarantee you in my motor racing career, if I had never crashed the car, I’ve never had a team come up to me and say, ‘Sorry Perry’, and then we’re cancelling the rest of the season.
“Clearly they’re two different things, but why aren’t we getting more information? Is there something going on in the background, that nobody really wants to talk about at the moment that’s gonna come out”.
After the crash on 13 December last year, the BBC released a statement which said: “We have sincerely apologised to Freddie and will continue to support him with his recovery.
“We understand this [halting the show] will be disappointing for fans, but it is the right thing to do, and we’ll make a judgement about how best to continue later this year.”
BBC Studios, which produces the show, has conducted its own investigation of the accident and a full health and safety review has been carried out following the incident last year.