Top Gear's chequered past: Crashes, controversy and Clarkson

Twenty-one years aft it was launched, Top Gear is backmost successful the headlines for the incorrect reasons.

The fashionable motoring amusement has tally for 240 episodes implicit 33 series, had 13 presenters and astatine 1 constituent was estimated to beryllium watched by 350 cardinal radical worldwide.

It has been a deed astatine location and overseas and attracted large awards - and yet it has been nary alien to controversy.

Few details astir the 13 December incident astatine Dunsfold Park Aerodrome person been publically confirmed.

The self-styled "dare devil" has not spoken publically astir the incidental and has been conspicuously absent from societal media since.

The Times claimed the big has "been earnestly emotionally and physically affected by the crash". BBC News has contacted Flintoff's representative.

And present cautiously worded connection from Top Gear suggests the substance whitethorn beryllium acold from over.

It does not elaborate connected the decision of a BBC Studios investigation, but the programme has issued an apology to Flintoff and says it "will proceed to enactment him with his recovery".

A wider wellness and information reappraisal of the full programme led by an autarkic 3rd enactment volition follow, and the connection refrains from saying Top Gear volition beryllium backmost connected screen, astatine slightest immoderate clip soon.

BBC executives mightiness consciousness similar they person been present before.

The amusement was launched successful 2002 by presenter Jeremy Clarkson and shaper Andy Wilman, envisioned arsenic a brasher mentation of the earlier and altogether much genteel motoring programme it takes its sanction from.

The code for an astatine times tetchy narration betwixt the amusement and the BBC was acceptable early.

In 2003, the broadcaster was forced to apologise to the proprietor of a £1m Jaguar aft his car, loaned to the programme, was returned needing "a batch of costly work".

Clarkson and the show's unit were dubbed "shabby" by the owner, and the BBC was near negotiating implicit the repairs bill. More superior scrapes would follow.

In 2006, big Richard Hammond flipped a specially modified conveyance astatine 280mph portion attempting to interruption the satellite onshore velocity record.

He narrowly avoided decease and was near successful a coma. Last year, helium recounted however his woman was told by doctors "things aren't looking good... we deliberation we're going to suffer him".

The BBC was criticised by the wellness and information watchdog aft an probe uncovered failings.

But Hammond's 2007 return, alongside footage of the crash, was a ratings hit, attracting 8.7 cardinal viewers and beating the Big Brother final.

There were different adjacent misses. In 2008, Clarkson injured an ankle and, successful his words, "dislocated his caput from his spine". There were breached bones, slipped discs and sore heads implicit the years, but mercifully ne'er thing much serious.

Both Hammond and co-host James May person had accidents which led to infirmary attraction since launching different motoring programme connected Amazon.

Their 2015 departure was precipitated by an off-air wounded - this clip to a accumulation assistant, struck successful the look by Clarkson during what an investigation described arsenic an "unprovoked carnal and verbal attack".

The BBC besides faced allegations of xenophobia, racism and homophobia during the show's Clarkson-led era.

Broadcast regulator Ofcom intervened aft a derogatory radical word was utilized during an occurrence acceptable successful Myanmar, formerly known arsenic Burma.

And an evident notation to the Falklands War during filming successful Argentina - which the BBC refused to apologise for - triggered a insignificant diplomatic incident.

Since Clarkson and co's departure, Top Gear is simply a overmuch quieter matter but inactive attracts large audiences, successful ample portion acknowledgment to the revival Flintoff has helped lead.

Syndication deals astir the satellite besides marque it a large wealth spinner for the corporation.

Continuing to marque bid 34 would beryllium "inappropriate" pursuing Flintoff's crash, a Top Gear spokesperson said, and a "judgement astir however champion to continue" is promised "later this year".

But with different probe pending and questions unanswered, fans are near wondering whether Top Gear has temporarily stalled oregon breached down altogether.