'Wipeout' contestant dies after completing obstacle course
A male contestant on the US revival of game show Wipeout has died after completing the obstacle course.
The contestant, who has not been identified except for his gender, needed medical attention after competing on Wednesday, a source close to production tells Yahoo Entertainment. The man was treated by the on-site emergency personnel. They then called paramedics, and the contestant was taken to the hospital, where he died.
The show halted production for the rest of the week. It goes into a planned Thanksgiving week break on Monday and will resume production afterward.
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The source notes that all of the show’s contestants undergo medical examinations before being cleared to participate.
The show’s production company, Endemol Shine North America, tells Yahoo Entertainment, “We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family and our thoughts are with them at this time.”
The original Wipeout aired from 2008 to 2014 on ABC. A spokesperson for TBS, the show’s new network, says in a statement: “We are devastated to have learned of his passing and our deepest sympathy goes out to the family.”
TBS announced in April that it had ordered 20 episodes of Wipeout, with “new format twists and elements that will push contestants’ athleticism and willpower to even greater extremes, all while delivering some pretty epic fails!” WWE star John Cena and comedian Nicole Byer will host, while model Camille Kostek reports from the field.
New episodes of the show are set to air in 2021.
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