St George’s Consultant featured in new documentary following Andrew Flintoff’s crash recovery
A new Disney+ documentary airing this week shares the personal journey of former England cricket captain Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff following a life-threatening crash while filming Top Gear in December 2022 — and it includes a tribute to the expert care he received at St George’s.
Flintoff sustained devastating facial injuries when the three-wheeled Morgan Super 3 sports car he was driving flipped at speed, dragging him along the tarmac at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey. In the immediate aftermath, he was airlifted to St George’s, where he underwent emergency surgery under the care of Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Jahrad Haq.
In the documentary, Flintoff bravely opens up about the severity of the crash and the emotional toll it took — revealing that he feared he had lost his face, and at times struggled to imagine getting through the recovery.
Mr Haq, who features in the documentary, reflects on the moment he was called in:
“I was on call that day and received a phone call from the A&E consultant. A lot of injuries are managed at a more junior level before escalating, so I knew this one was serious. Of all the trauma cases I’ve seen in over 20 years, this was among the top five most complex.”
Mr Haq explains that Flintoff sustained significant soft and hard tissue trauma, including broken and lost teeth, and fractures to the upper jawbone. You can find out more about his role in this video.
Flintoff, who now shows a fully healed face in the trailer, credits the skill of the St George’s team with helping him on his path to recovery. He spent several months out of the public eye, gradually rebuilding physically and emotionally with the help of family, clinicians, and surgical experts.
The documentary, which is titled Flintoff, will be available to stream in the UK on Disney Plus from Friday 25 April.
