Death Wish Live

Death Wish Live is a week of live shows from Channel 4 showcasing stunts for entertainment. The five nights each featured a particular artiste; Jonathan Goodwin, The Pain Men, Zamora The Torture King, Pyro Boy & The Cirque de Flambe.[1][2] Alex Zane was the show's television presenter, while John Beyer was the director.[3][4] Anthony Owen and Objective Media Group produced the show.[5][6]

Jonathan Goodwin opened the series with a hangman stunt where he was to escape cuffs before a water filled barrel pulled the noose upwards, lifting him smoothly off his feet rather than the traditional trapdoor method, in a stunt called Cheating the Gallows. The stunt went wrong when he failed to pick the lock and was seen kicking his legs before passing out and being dropped, unconscious, into cardboard boxes at which point the show went to intermission. Producers later explained that the stunt had pre-arranged safety measures, meaning Goodwin's life was never in danger.[7][8] During the incident, the show was briefly paused, and the screen said, "Death Wish Live! will be back shortly". After the broadcast began again, viewers saw paramedics on scene and subsequently Goodwin making a thumbs up sign. Mediawatch-UK said the stunt was "sick and irresponsible".[9] Seven viewers filed complaints with Ofcom, which opened a probe into the incident.[10]

In a segment named Animal Attack, rats would bite The Pain Men who would lower their heads into containers filled with jellyfish.[6][11] The Times summarised the show, "Other extreme acts this week include 'animal attack' (tomorrow), featuring rats and jellyfish; a man on a bed of nails being run over by a truck (Wednesday); 'the human torch' (Thursday); and an escape from a buried coffin (Friday)."[12]

Reception

The Birmingham Mail said, "while Jonathan's family may think his stunts are no substitute for a glass of wine and a finger buffet, viewers will be gripped by this programme".[13] Gabrielle Starkey of The Times criticised the show, writing, "So far, E4's Death Wish week has failed to live up to its name, despite some pretty hair-raising stunts."[14]

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. Hodgkinson, Will; Skegg, Martin; Rose, Steve (28 January 2006). "The Guide: Television: Monday 30th January: Watch This". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  3. Bray, Elisa (21 January 2006). "'I'd like to see London flooded to make it more like Venice'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Singh, Anita (13 January 2006). "Rap for TV Hang Stunt - Gallows trick row". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  5. "Viewers hang TV channel for noose stunt". Western Mail. 1 February 2006. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  6. "Channel 4 presents TV's first live hanging... followed by a burial". Evening Standard. 13 January 2006. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  7. Pearlman, Julia (1 February 2006). "Channel 4 to face probe over Death Wish Live! hanging stunt". Brand Republic. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  8. "TV hanging show sparks complaints". BBC. 31 January 2006. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  9. Baracaia, Alexa (31 January 2006). "Protest as live TV daredevil gallows stunt goes wrong". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Channel 4 faces Ofcom inquiry after hanging stunt". The Daily Telegraph. 1 February 2006. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Fur Set to Fly as Sanchez Go Wild". South Wales Echo. 29 January 2006. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  12. Starkey, Gabrielle (30 January 2006). "Choice - Multichannel". The Times. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  13. "No escaping this sort of madness - TVChoice". Birmingham Mail. 10 March 2006. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  14. Starkey, Gabrielle (2 February 2006). "Choice - Television". The Times. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
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