Jimmy Carr is reportedly in talks to host Top Gear four years after the BBC were forced to take the show off air following Freddie Flintoff's near fatal car accident09:21, 23 Aug 2026TV host and comedian Jimmy Carr is said to be in talks with the BBC to host Top Gear - four years after the show was axed following Freddie Flintoff's near-fatal car crash,‌The former England cricketer, 48, was in the middle of testing an open top car when it flipped over and he was dragged along the track at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in December 2022.‌But now bosses feel it is the right time for a reboot and have been in discussion with the comedian, 53, to become the main host, due to his love and knowledge of cars.‌A TV insider claimed: "Production have their sights set on Jimmy, he's the ideal host to take the show into a new era and revive Top Gear. He's keen to work on something mainstream after spending so many years fronting comedy panel shows."He's a real car buff, too, so it would be a passion project. Casting directors are now working to find talent to join him in the new-look ensemble."‌"Bosses are considering a woman and online celebrities to complement Jimmy," they added to the Sun.Jimmy, who fronted a string of comedy panel shows including Countdown and 8 Out of 10 Cats, has made no secret of his love of the show in past interviews and boasts an impressive car collection.When asked if he would like to host the show in a previous chat, he said: "If it comes up, yeah, call me! Call me straight away. I would do that in a heartbeat. I think it's maybe the best job in television."‌Freddie had been the main host on Top Gear since 2019 after Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, who attracted a devoted following of viewers, left the show.The ex athlete was joined on screen by Paddy McGuiness and Chris Harris, but they are not said to be part of the new line-up for the reboot.Jeremy's contract at the time was not renewed after a physical altercation took place with one of his producers. While it was only Jeremy who faced the sack, the loyalty of his co-hosts kicked in and they made the bold decision to quit the show.‌Since their departure, the BBC show played around with a number of famous faces to host the show but the once popular programme struggled to regain its audience.At the time of Freddie's accident, his co-star Chris had raised concern over the stunts. Speaking publicly about his concerns he told podcaster Joe Rogan that he'd informed the broadcaster about his fears and concerns three months before the accident.‌He revealed: "What was never spoken about was that three months before the accident, I'd gone to the BBC and said, 'Unless you change something, someone's going to die on this show."So I went to them, I went to the BBC and I told them of my concerns from what I'd seen - as the most experienced driver on the show by a mile."He went on to add that although Paddy and Freddie were great in engaging viewers, he had far more experience in cars than they did.Article continues belowFollowing the crash, the BBC axed the show and Freddie received a £9million payout.The Mirror contacted the BBC for a comment.Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.