'America's Got Talent: Extreme' Stuntman Rushed to Hospital After Falling 70 Feet in On-set Accident
A stunt gone wrong on the set of NBC's new America's Got Talent spinoff, America's Got Talent: Extreme, has left one person fighting for their life in the hospital. AGT alum and daredevil stuntman Jonathan Goodwin was airlifted to the hospital with serious injuries after he was "sandwiched" between two exploding cars and then fell to the ground, production sources told TMZ. Goodwin's condition remains unknown at this time.
The accident reportedly occurred as Goodwin was performing a terrifying stunt on the show. Sources explained that the stuntman, who was in a straightjacket, was suspended 70 feet in the air by his feet from a wire as two cars were suspended on either side of him and swinging back and forth. For the stunt, Goodwin was meant to avoid getting "crushed" by the swinging vehicles as he worked to free himself from the jacket and then fell to an air mattress. However, something went wrong during the performance, and Goodwin was reportedly "sandwiched" between the two cars, which "smashed together." TMZ's sources claimed the "impact caused the cars to explode, erupting in a gigantic fireball," and the stuntman, who appeared on AGT in 2020, "fell to the ground and hit his head."
Goodwin was unresponsive following the accident, and onlookers reportedly "thought he was dead." He was airlifted to a local hospital, where he was immediately rushed into surgery for what TMZ reported as "brutal injuries." As of the last update, Goodwin was said to be in the trauma unit. His condition at this time remains unknown. NBC has not issued a statement regarding the accident.
Goodwin has been performing daring acts for the majority of his life. Prior to appearing on AGT in 2020, where he completed another death-defying stunt, Goodwin appeared on Season 13 of Britain's Got Talent, where judge Simon Cowell said, "We saw your video submission and you are actually crazy. I met Jonathan before on a previous show and this is the closest I've ever saw someone kill themselves on live TV." Talent Recap reports that Goodwin has suffered numerous injuries, including a broken leg, throughout his career as a stuntman.
Goodwin's latest tragedy occurred on the set of America's Got Talent: Extreme. Confirmed in May of this year to be in the works, the AGT spinoff aims to "showcase the most outrageous and jaw-dropping daredevil acts," according to a synopsis. Each week, contestants go "head-to-head in the most wild, wacky and craziest stunts to vie for the ultimate title." Cowell serves as a judge on the show alongside Nikki Bell and Travis Pastrana, with Terry Crews serving as host.