Horror as trapeze act falls in dramatic ‘America’s Got Talent’ performance

Part of the fun of tuning into reality TV shows such as America’s Got Talent is never knowing what to expect when an act takes to the stage in attempt to impressive the star-studded judging panel and millions of viewers at home.

On Tuesday’s episode of the hit US talent show, an acrobatic couple known as Duo Transcend caused a panic when their daring trapeze act involving fire and blindfolds went terribly wrong.

At first, the performance had all the makings of a competition-winning act. Husband and wife duo Tyce Neilsen and Mary Wolfe-Nielsen took to the stage to impress the judges, with Tyce hanging upside-down from the ceiling and pulling his partner up to him with incredible strength.

At one point, Tyce could be seen holding Mary by her head as she performed the splits mid-air. Next, the performance became more dangerous when fire began lighting up the stage. Mary was dangling from her husband’s arms as all this was happening.

“Are you kidding me?” judge Mel B could be heard saying as the audience and her co-judges watched on in amazement. “He’s going to do a death drop or something.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=324&v=45_rwrlqXLw

As the performance went on, the judging panel became increasingly more uncomfortable and could be seen covering their mouths and looking away. Tyce then pulled out the blindfolds.

“Come on,” judge Simon Cowell said, just before Mary performed a stunt that went wrong.

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She was meant to be caught my Tyce, but as she fell from a rope, she slipped and plunged to the stage below. The judges began screaming as the camera cut to their two-year-old son and his grandmother, who were watching on in horror from the live studio audience.

Tyce was left hanging from the roof, while judges could be heard asking if Mary was okay. Remarkably, she got up off the floor and smiled at the audience. Despite the mishap, the judges gave the couple a standing ovation.

“We would like to try the blindfold trick one more time,” Mary asked the judges.

“No, it’s fine,” Mel B said. “I don’t think they should try that.”

Judge Ken Jeong said the show wasn’t called America’s Got Perfection and praised the couple for their effort. Cowell also said that mistakes happen on shows like this.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a singer on any of our competitions who’s been note-perfect,” he explained. “It still doesn’t make them not amazing. It makes them human. The consequences on this are slightly worse than falling off key, whereas you nearly broke your neck.”

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Perhaps more incredible is the fact Tyce is almost legally blind due to a condition called Keratocunus, where the cornea becomes thin and disorts vision.

The judges decided to put the duo through to the next round.

What do you think? Do you watch talent shows like this? What are your favourite kinds of acts?