| Jonathan Goodwin (escapologist) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born: | 20 February 1980 |
| Birth Hometown: | Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales |
| Occupation: | Escape artist and daredevil |
| Years active: | 2005-2021 |
Jonathan Goodwin (born 20 February 1980) is a Welsh retired escapologist and daredevil. In October 2021, Goodwin suffered a spinal cord injury while rehearsing for a stunt.
Early life[]
Goodwin was born in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales, and grew up in Robeston Wathen. He attended the since-closed Tasker Milward Voluntary Controlled School in Haverfordwest.
Career[]
He first appeared on Channel 4 TV programme Dirty Tricks and has subsequently appeared in TV specials The Seven Stupidest Things to Escape From, and Deathwish Live as well as Discovery Channel's One Way Out and How Not to Become Shark Bait in which he allowed himself to be attacked by a Caribbean reef shark. Goodwin returned to Discovery Channel in 2009 for a ten-part series of One Way Out which also starred engineer Terry Stroud. He also appeared in an episode of the Channel 4 program Balls of Steel, with his father helping him with a stunt.
On 11 September 2012, it was announced that Goodwin would be appearing in his own series on UKTV's Watch, entitled The Incredible Mr. Goodwin. The show included a wide variety of stunts, from free climbing skyscrapers to "extreme planking", and started airing in early 2013. It was also shown on UKTV's Dave and on BBC America beginning in July 2013.
On 9 March 2013, Goodwin appeared on The Jonathan Ross Show and performed the stunt of lying on a single nail and having a breeze block broken on his chest with a sledgehammer.
In April 2019, he appeared on the 13th series of Britain's Got Talent, and made it to the finals performing "buried alive", the first time this stunt had ever been attempted on a stage.
In 2020, he appeared on America's Got Talent, where he finished as a semifinalist.
Injuries[]
In October 2021, Goodwin was hospitalised following injuries acquired during a stunt rehearsal for America's Got Talent: Extreme.
The stunt was supposed to see Goodwin escape a straitjacket while upside-down 30 feet in the air, suspended between two cars. Instead, he became crushed between the cars as they caught fire.
Goodwin sustained many injuries, including: third-degree burns, a broken spine, a severed a T11 spinal cord, and two broken shoulder blades. He also shattered both legs, and lost a kidney. He was released from hospital in February 2022 but was left paralysed from the waist down, requiring the use of a wheelchair.
Personal life[]
Goodwin is divorced and is engaged to actress Amanda Abbington. They had been social media friends for a decade, but met only after her split from Martin Freeman. Goodwin proposed marriage within 30 minutes of their first meeting, in Vienna.