America’s Got Talent: Extreme was rocked by a terrible accident on the set this week.
According to TMZ, contestant Jonathan Goodwin was “suspended 70 feet in the air in a straitjacket hanging by his feet from a wire,” which two cars “suspended on either side of him swinging back and forth.”
According to the outlet, the stunt involved Goodwin freeing himself to land on an air mattress below.
However, the performer was “sandwiched” in between the two cars after they smashed together.
“During a rehearsal last evening for America’s Got Talent: Extreme, an accident occurred in which escape artist Jonathan Goodwin was injured while performing his act,” a spokesperson for the show explained to TVLine.
“He was responsive and was immediately taken to the hospital where he is continuing to receive medical care.”
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family as we await further updates on his condition.”
Goodwin first appeared in the America’s Got Talent universe on the 15th season of the original series, making it to the semifinal round.
He also appeared on Britain’s Got Talent in 2019, appearing as a finalist on that show.
Goodwin’s stunts have garnered a lot of attention throughout the years.
“I’ve always known what I was going to do. That was my plan from the very beginning,” Goodwin explained his performance to Entertainment Tonight Canada in September 2020.
“Because of the scale of what I do, there’s no way that I could turn around on things quickly,” he shared at the time.
“Like a singer can choose another song to sing and practice for a couple of weeks and then they’re on again. But the stuff that I do is so involved and so complicated that I had to know way in advance what I would do.”
America’s Got Talent: Extreme is set to star franchise veteran Simon Cowell on the judging panel, as well as newcomers Nikki Bella and Travis Pastrana.
Terry Crews is also set as host for the new iteration of the reality series.
AGT: Extreme “will showcase the most outrageous, unique and jaw-dropping acts of enormous scale and magnitude that simply cannot be confined to a theater stage,” according to NBC’s description.
“Each week contestants will go head-to-head in the most wild, intense and often times beautiful performances to vie for a $500,000 prize and the ultimate title, the champion of America’s Got Talent: Extreme.”
A premiere date has not been announced, but it is expected to be midseason, ahead of a new season of the regular series.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Goodwin and his family during this difficult time.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.