Top Gear’s The Stig has revealed he is planning to sue the BBC for £100,000 after claiming to have been badly hurt in the crash on the BBC show that left Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff with severe injuries.
Paul Rees, 41, claimed to The Sun that he broke his back in the horrifying crash which took place during filming for the series in 2022, while also accusing the BBC of failing to adhere to proper safety measures.
Recounting the moment of the horror collision, he described to the publication how his vision went “red” from Mr Flintoff’s blood “spraying me in the face.”
He continued: “I remember thinking that if we can get out of this and be in wheelchairs, we’re lucky.”
Freddie Flintoff suffered serious injuries in the BBC Top Gear crash | GETTY
Mr Rees claimed he had informed the BBC of potential risks but was “not listened to.”
“I genuinely felt like we were going to potentially die, because we had no protection,” he recalled.
“I’m used to having four or five-point harnesses, a helmet, and a roll hoop. I was acutely aware the only thing holding my head off the tarmac was Fred’s head. I still have no idea how I walked away.”
The married father-of-two says he broke his back and was left with PTSD following the ordeal.
Mr Flintoff, 48, was left in a serious condition following the crash and underwent facial reconstructive surgeries before receiving a £12million payout.
Paul Rees was The Stig from 2019 to 2022
|
GETTY
Mr Rees, who was The Stig on the show from 2019 to 2022, is now pushing for £100k in compensation but stated he would have accepted an apology from the broadcaster.
He claimed that, before the crash, Mr Flintoff had been instructed to wear comedy glasses and a racing cap, leaving Mr Rees to question why there were “no helmets.”
Recalling the moment the accident happened, he added: “I said to [Mr Flintoff] power, power, power, power. He’s given it a load of power, which is what we did the time before.
“And suddenly, because it had this low scoop and I had my arm hanging out the side, the next thing I know we are on top of my arm sliding down the runway.
Freddie Flintoff recently opened up on the crash for the first time in a Disney+ documentary
|
GETTY“We’re effectively just inverting with our faces going straight towards the tarmac, and then we’re upside down. It’s because Fred had taken the impact. Fred was hunched over on top of me. I pulled him back next to me, took one look at him and I thought he was dead.
“I thought there was no way someone could take an injury to the face like that and survive. I could hear a gurgling noise, and I could see his chest going up and down. It was like a war injury, something you see in the movies.”
He stated that production had opted to use one trained medic on the scene rather than a full ambulance crew.
“I’ll never forget the first words he said, ‘I’m not equipped for this injury and situation.’ We used to have a full-size ambulance on set at all times, which was usually where I got changed into the white Stig suit.
Freddie Flintoff in 2026
|
GETTY
“Suddenly, to have a guy in a small hatchback who, the first thing he says when he gets on the scene is ‘I’m not prepared’… It’s worrying.”
He shared how he called 999 but was told the nearest ambulance would take two hours. Thankfully, soldiers training nearby had seen the accident and offered to get an air ambulance.
Mr Rees went on to claim he didn’t hear from the BBC again until he was offered a group therapy session with other staff.
It wasn’t until 2023 that Mr Rees allegedly discovered he had broken his back after months of pain.
Reflecting on how the BBC had called him to London for a meeting, the Top Gear star claimed the broadcaster had tried to blame him for what happened, leaving him feeling like he was “being thrown under the bus.”
Speaking to GB News, a spokesperson from the BBC stated: “We dispute this claim and are defending it. As it’s now before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”