Production has paused on a spinoff series of America’s Got Talent after a stuntman contestant was hospitalized due to an on-set accident. TMZ reports that during a rehearsal for his act on America’s Got Talent: Extreme, escape-artist stunt performer Jonathan Goodwin was sandwiched between two swinging cars that exploded upon impact, causing Goodwin to be airlifted into surgery at a trauma hospital. According to sources on set of the production, “Goodwin was suspended 70 feet in the air in a straitjacket hanging by his feet from a wire. Two cars were suspended on either side of him … swinging back-and-forth.†The stunt required Goodwin to free himself and safely land on an air mattress before the cars hit him, but the vehicles made impact and exploded, sending Goodwin falling to the ground, according to production sources.
“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,†an America’s Got Talent spokesperson told Deadline. The series centered on daredevil stunts is slated to premiere midseason on NBC and is hosted by Terry Crews with judges Nikki Bella, Travis Pastrana, and Simon Cowell. Goodwin had previously performed an elaborate escape stunt on America’s Got Talent in 2020, in which he had to escape from a contraption before being engulfed in flames.