Lancashire’s Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff has said he felt like “Billy Elliot” at school after being bullied for playing cricket.

The Preston-born former international cricketer made the admission during a carpool karaoke event with RuPaul’s Drag Race UK superstar Tayce.

Speaking to Tayce, the former Ribbleton Hall High School pupil said: "I was bullied for playing cricket. I went to school in Preston.

“On the estate it was quite rough. Cricket was deemed a posh sport, so everyone played football. I was like Billy Elliot.

“I started playing when I was nine and then when I was 15 I started playing professionally.”

The carpool karaoke took place in Manchester city centre recently as part of a Pride event.

The surprise event was organised by Booking.com, one of the world’s leading digital travel companies, a lead sponsor of Manchester Pride 2022.

Carpooling from the city’s outskirts to the centre, the unlikely pair passed some of Manchester’s most iconic landmarks including Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, the famous ‘Curry Mile’ and the iconic Beetham Tower Skyscraper, before driving through the heart of Manchester’s Gay Village.

Top Gear presenter Flintoff expressed his love of Manchester - where he spent the entirety of his career playing for Lancashire CCC - with Tayce, and the duo shared much banter on their Pride-inspired mini road trip, as they geared up to celebrate.

Pulling in behind the Oast House, the pair caused a stir as they welcomed onlookers to Manchester Pride before Tayce lip-synched Power by Little Mix to the unsuspecting audience.

Both Flintoff and Tayce agreed Manchester Pride was one of the most iconic LGBTQ+ events in the world and were delighted to join in the celebrations, as well as raising awareness of the issues and challenges that still affect the community.

Freddie Flintoff said: “It’s no secret that I love Manchester, so it’s great to be a part of this year’s Pride celebrations.

“It’s been a real eye-opener to work with Booking.com and learn about the restrictions felt by the LBGTQ+ community when it comes to feeling welcome and safe when going on holiday.

“I’m a big champion of being yourself and feeling comfortable in your own skin and that’s what this weekend is all about, it’s great to see.

“Spending the day with Tayce was ace…it’s not often that you get to hang out with such an iconic drag queen! I was impressed with her lip sync performance. I would have competed, but I forgot my wig… maybe next year!”

Tayce said: “Being a part of this year’s Manchester Pride has been amazing. We have had so much fun … erm, who knew I have a crush on Freddie Flintoff!

“Jokes aside, it’s great to see brands like Booking.com championing the LGBTQ+ community by working with their accommodation partners to provide more welcoming travel experiences for everyone.

"I know first-hand what it’s like to be made to feel unwelcome on holiday, purely because of my sexuality and who I am. Ultimately, we need to raise more awareness of this so that the issue is confronted.

“It was great to hang out with Freddie today and take part in a road trip to explore more of Manchester’s culture and celebrate the city’s rich gay history.

"The car ride with Freddie was the ride of my life, hopefully we can do it again soon!”

Matthias Schmid, Vice President of Booking.com’s Trips Division, said: “Our mission is to make it easier for everyone to experience the world and addressing the needs of LGBTQ+ travellers is an essential part of delivering on this.

“We’re proud to support the Manchester Pride charity, which celebrates and promotes inclusivity in Manchester and beyond, and are thrilled to have found like-minded individuals in Freddie and Tayce to help make our mark on the momentous occasion.

"They were both fantastic participants on the day, creating a fun and joyous memory that Booking.com can look back on proudly.

“We’re also incredibly pleased to be building a global hub for transport here in Manchester, where we already employ more than 1,000 people.

"It’s a vibrant, inclusive community, including a large active presence in our internal B.proud employee resource group, which is dedicated to helping promote increased acceptance and understanding for LGBTQ+ people throughout our organisation.”