‘America’s Got Talent’ viewers were left with their hearts in their mouths during this week’s live shows, when one of the daredevil acts went horribly wrong.
Husband and wife acrobat and trapeze act Duo Transcend were performing a death-defying stunt while hanging from a flaming bar suspended over a fiery stage.
So far, so impressive.
But things took a scary turn when Mary Wolfe-Nielsen fell through the grasp of her blindfolded husband Tyce Nielsen.
To make matters worse, the couple’s two-year-old son was in the audience in the arms of his grandmother, who covered her eyes as the audience gasped.
Thankfully Mary avoided injury, due to the foam floor that had been installed prior to the act.
Phew.
Speaking to the shocked judges afterwards, Mary said: “We wanted to step up our act, so we added some new elements that we’ve never worked with before — the fire and the blindfold.”
Tyce added: “I knew right away, I could feel her slipping through my hands and that feeling is just terrifying.”
Judge Ken Jeong told the couple: “This is not America’s Got Perfection. It’s America’s Got Talent. Nobody can do this.”
Despite the fall, the couple made it through to the next round of the competition.
Watch the act go wrong in the video above.
1. Jules And Matisse
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TV regulators Ofcom were forced to launch an investigation, when it emerged that Jules and Matisse’s winning BGT stunt had actually involved a second stunt dog. Eventually, it was ruled that viewers had been misled, and those who’d voted for the pooch to win the show were offered the chance to claim a refund.
2. Attraction
Jules and Matisse aren’t the only winners who faced a backlash, though, with Attraction’s victory being met with a lukewarm reception from some critics, due to the fact they’re originally from Hungary (The Sun wrote at the time: “To us it makes a mockery of the show’s premise if foreign acts enter, let alone win.”)
Simon Cowell brushed off the controversy, though, insisting: “I see it as a testament to how we are as a country. We want everyone to do well, no matter where they are from. It’s a positive not a negative.”
Simon Cowell brushed off the controversy, though, insisting: “I see it as a testament to how we are as a country. We want everyone to do well, no matter where they are from. It’s a positive not a negative.”
3. Susan Boyle
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Susan Boyle’s audition in the third series of Britain’s Got Talent made her an overnight sensation, eventually shooting her to worldwide fame the world over.
However, by the time she made it through to the live finals, producers were accused of exploiting a vulnerable woman, with reports repeatedly suggesting she was struggling to cope with the media attention surrounding her.
Writing in the Daily Mail, Simon Cowell has later said: “Looking back on it all, it has become clear to me that we didn't handle the situation with Susan as well as we could have. Yet to be honest, when I analyse exactly what happened, I don't know that I could have done it any differently.”
However, by the time she made it through to the live finals, producers were accused of exploiting a vulnerable woman, with reports repeatedly suggesting she was struggling to cope with the media attention surrounding her.
Writing in the Daily Mail, Simon Cowell has later said: “Looking back on it all, it has become clear to me that we didn't handle the situation with Susan as well as we could have. Yet to be honest, when I analyse exactly what happened, I don't know that I could have done it any differently.”
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4. Hollie Steel
And on the subject of exploiting those in a vulnerable position, 10-year-old Hollie Steel’s performance in the BGT semi-finals back in 2009 made the headlines, when she broke down in tears during a performance of Edelweiss, asking if she could start it all again.
Although Simon Cowell later allowed her to perform again at the end of the show, it was a memorably uncomfortable moment for BGT viewers, who questioned whether children should be allowed to take part in such a high-pressure competition.
Although Simon Cowell later allowed her to perform again at the end of the show, it was a memorably uncomfortable moment for BGT viewers, who questioned whether children should be allowed to take part in such a high-pressure competition.
5. Ariscandra Libantino
The subject of featuring young children on the show reared its head again in 2013, when Arisxandra’s performance of One Night Only was criticised by some viewers, who suggested a song about a one night stand probably wasn’t the appropriate choice for an 11-year-old girl.
6. David Walliams And His Golden Buzzer
Each year, the judges are given one chance to fast-track an act through to the semi-finals by hitting the golden buzzer, which has given memorable BGT moments to acts like Paddy and Nico, Revelation Avenue and Callum Scott.
However, David was met with a backlash from viewers when he made the unpopular decision to put through Christian Spridon, after his *ahem* unique take on Tom Jones’s Sex Bomb.
However, David was met with a backlash from viewers when he made the unpopular decision to put through Christian Spridon, after his *ahem* unique take on Tom Jones’s Sex Bomb.
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7. Kelly Brook’s Brief Stint On The Panel
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Simon Cowell is no stranger to hiring and firing TV judges at the drop of a hat, but one star who was not happy with being given the boot was Kelly Brook, who later hit out at the show when she was sacked after just six days.
Claiming she was“relieved” to have been let go early, she added: “[Simon] was hours late. We would have to start at 9am and he wouldn't get there until 1pm. It was disrespectful to me, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan. Throughout my career, if I have a call time of 9am, I'll be there at 8.30am ready to go. Simon didn't work like that, it was his party and he did it his way.
“It wasn't what I wanted to do anyway, I wanted to act. So when it didn't work out I wasn't bothered, it meant I could go back to doing what I really wanted to do."
Claiming she was“relieved” to have been let go early, she added: “[Simon] was hours late. We would have to start at 9am and he wouldn't get there until 1pm. It was disrespectful to me, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan. Throughout my career, if I have a call time of 9am, I'll be there at 8.30am ready to go. Simon didn't work like that, it was his party and he did it his way.
“It wasn't what I wanted to do anyway, I wanted to act. So when it didn't work out I wasn't bothered, it meant I could go back to doing what I really wanted to do."
8. Jennifer Lopez Puts On A Raunchy Show
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When Jenny From The Block paid a visit to BGT in 2013, her skimpy on-stage costume and dance routine raised eyebrows among more conservative viewers, prompting complaints to Ofcom about whether the number was suitable for a family audience.
J-Lo later insisted: “I don’t think I’m any racier than any other female pop artist. OK, I’ll wear a sexy outfit, but I think it’s more because my body shape’s a little different to other body shapes, so that’s not very fair.”
J-Lo later insisted: “I don’t think I’m any racier than any other female pop artist. OK, I’ll wear a sexy outfit, but I think it’s more because my body shape’s a little different to other body shapes, so that’s not very fair.”
9. Alesha And Amanda's Dresses
Syco/Thames/Dymond
Amanda Holden was slightly less diplomatic when her own outfits were criticised for being too revealing she “honestly doesn’t give a monkey’s” what people think of her clothes, adding: “It gives people something to talk about but if I worked in a bank I’d be wearing tight skirts and high heels because that’s just who I am.”
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10. Doctor Gore
After viewers complained to Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator eventually ruled that BGT had breached their code by showing one of the gruesome illusionist’s more graphic numbers way back in the show’s first series.
11. Marc Métral And Wendy
Jules and Matisse weren’t the only animal act who caused a stir in 2015, with ventriloquist Marc Métral being accused of mistreating his dog by making her wear a mask around her muzzle as part of their routine.
12. Ronan Parke
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As Ronan Parke grew in popularity during the competition, a blog - claiming to be set up by an executive at Syco - suggested that the teenage singer had been groomed by Simon Cowell’s record label for the past two years, with the hopes of landing him a place on BGT.
Eventually, the company issued a statement, insisting: “There has been speculation on the internet that Britain's Got Talent finalist Ronan Parke was known to and worked with Syco/Sony Music before entering the show. There is no truth in this story whatsoever. Ronan first came to Syco/Sony's attention when he entered this year's competition.”
Simon also addressed the controversy live on air, claiming: “There has been an allegation made in the papers - not in the papers actually, on the Internet - that Ronan Parke had a previous recording contract with me, that I’d bet him beforehand, both of which are complete and utter lies. He entered the show of his own accord, he’s 12 years old, this is a deliberate smear campaign.”
Eventually, the company issued a statement, insisting: “There has been speculation on the internet that Britain's Got Talent finalist Ronan Parke was known to and worked with Syco/Sony Music before entering the show. There is no truth in this story whatsoever. Ronan first came to Syco/Sony's attention when he entered this year's competition.”
Simon also addressed the controversy live on air, claiming: “There has been an allegation made in the papers - not in the papers actually, on the Internet - that Ronan Parke had a previous recording contract with me, that I’d bet him beforehand, both of which are complete and utter lies. He entered the show of his own accord, he’s 12 years old, this is a deliberate smear campaign.”
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