Top Gear hosts ‘nearly died’ filming Wall of Death stunt for new series

‘There are always risks but there are a lot more rewards’

Paddy McGuinness has revealed that the hosts of Top Gear “nearly died” while filming a particularly dangerous stunt on the show’s forthcoming series.

McGuinness, alongside co-hosts Freddie Flintoff and Chris Harris, performed the infamous carnival daredevil act known as the “Wall of Death”.

For the stunt, drivers must steer vehicles around a wooden cylinder, travelling along a vertical wall, held in place only by friction and gravity. 

Speaking to Metro, McGuinness said: “I think this particular season, we all nearly died when we did the Wall of Death.

“There are always risks but there are a lot more rewards. We make it as safe as we possibly can and get on with it.”

McGuinness and Flintoff replaced outgoing presenter Matt LeBlanc (Friends) for the 2019 series of Top Gear. 

Discussing the chemistry between the three current hosts, former Max and Paddy star McGuinness said: “I think the nature, with the three of us, we are competitive but we also push each other in the right way. 

“No one wants to see anyone gets injured.”

Let me ride on the Wall of Death: daredevil Marjorie Dare (Doris Smith) performs the famous feat in Southend, Essex, 1938 (Getty Images)

In the same interview, Flintoff said: “They do push the boundaries and there are times, like the Wall Of Death, where you’re thinking how on earth do you get a car up there?” 

“We do some dangerous stuff but it’s collective. We all want each other to do well.”

The new series of Top Gear begins on BBC One at 8pm on Sunday 4 October.