Britain’s Got Talent viewers were left horrified after Simon Cowell was nearly injured in a dangerous audition act involving a sledgehammer.
The shocking incident occurred during the ITV talent show’s auditions stage, leaving judges Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and Bruno Tonioli visibly alarmed.
The act featured Kranthi Drillman, a yoga instructor who had traveled from India to perform.
Initially, the 65-year-old media mogul called Kranthi a ‘nice man,’ but the performance soon took a terrifying turn.
As Kranthi’s act progressed, the judges voiced their concerns, with one saying, “I’m not enjoying this”, while hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly warned viewers at home: “Don’t try this at home.”
The situation escalated when Simon Cowell was brought onto the stage and instructed by a crew member to “stay completely still.” Kranthi then put on a blindfold and began smashing watermelons dangerously close to Simon’s head as he lay on the stage.
The tension peaked when Bruno, Amanda, and Alesha all hit their buzzers, urging the performance to stop.
As the chaos unfolded, Simon shouted: “That’s it, that’s it!” prompting the production team to rush in and stop the act.
Visibly shaken, Simon later admitted: “I didn’t know he was going to do that!” as crew members helped him up and brushed watermelon debris off his clothes.
Britain’s Got Talent viewers took to social media platform X to express their shock. One user, Chloe, wrote: “Omg he’s blindfolded, he’s gonna end up killing Simon doing this.” Another viewer, Ryan, called the act “madness”, while Danny commented: “This isn’t entertainment.”
Despite the terrifying experience, Simon surprisingly gave Kranthi a ‘yes’, saying: “I thought it was good with the watermelons.” The act concluded with Kranthi smashing his head into the remaining watermelons on stage.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Simon told Ant and Dec: “That was the scariest thing I’ve ever done, I swear to God.” Meanwhile, Alesha admitted: “I never want to see that again”, and Bruno added: “That was absolutely horrifying.”
Simon later revealed he genuinely feared for his life during the act, recalling: “It was the closest genuinely where I’m thinking they actually want to kill me.” He added that St John’s Ambulance staff were on standby and described the situation as “precarious” due to the slippery watermelon remains on stage.
The incident left viewers and judges alike stunned, marking one of the most disturbing moments in Britain’s Got Talent history.
