What an all-rounder: Cricket legend Freddie Flintoff lands presenting job on 'wacky' ITV show

Former professional cricketer Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff has landed a new job as a television host of ITV's new water-based game show Cannonball.

The 39-year-old cricket legend – once an England Test international – will present the wacky challenge programme when it launches later this year, with the show being billed as a more neurotic version of Total Wipeout, The Sun reports.

It will be Flintoff's first primetime television hosting gig since retiring from cricket in 2010. Since hanging up the cricket whites, Flintoff has been involved in a number of projects including designing his own fashion range and becoming the face of brand Jacamo. He has also been part of the Sky 1 sports based comedy panel show A League of Their Own, and presented a show on Radio Five Live with Robbie Savage.

Cannonball will also not be the first time Flintoff has dipped his toes in the celebrity pool of the entertainment industry, having entered the first Australian series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2015. He was crowned King of the Jungle, winning the show after spending 29 days in the jungle.

The Lancashire-born sportsman hasn't always had the best of luck when it comes to water, with his infamous late-night pedalo session in 2007 ending up with him being rescued after falling into the sea while on tour with England in the West Indies. But it looks as though he hasn't thought twice about taking up the hosting role for the water-based show.

Tasks on the show Cannonball will include attempting the highest and longest jumps possible off massive water slides while in fancy dress.

A source told the newspaper: "ITV bosses were chuffed to get Freddie on board. He's hugely popular with everyday people and he comes across well on telly, as has been seen on A League Of Their Own and his other media work.

"As an ex-sportsman who played at the top of his game, he knows about being competitive too, which will hopefully rub off on the contestants," they added.

Flintoff is yet to address the reports concerning his new job, instead tweeting a message of support to his friend Rio Ferdinand today (5 April) about his documentary called Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum and Dad.

He wrote to the former footballer: "Cheers pal , your doc is one of the most moving pieces of TV I've seen , I sure it will benefit so many people x"