Entertainment
People shocked by unearthed clip of Anthea Turner literally getting blown up on live TV-Alistair McGeorge-Entertainment – Metro
What?!
Anthea Turner was burned in the incident (Picture: Getty/TikTok)
Fans have been left stunned after rediscovering an old video of Anthea Turner getting blown up in a horror accident on live TV.
Back in 1989, the presenter was fronting a segment for the BBC’s shortlived Saturday morning children’s show UP2U – which ran for two seasons – featuring a motorcycle display team to tie into the Royal Tournament.
She was sat on the tailgate of a van introducing the stunt when some apparent miscommunication led to the motorbike bursting out of the back with some pyrotechnics, sending Anthea, then 26, flying.
She caught on fire in the terrifying incident – which was broadcast live from Manchester in the first episode of the second series on July 15, 1989 – and suffered burns to her face and hands, while her hair and jacket were ablaze.
In a TV interview after the accident, Anthea – who went on to host Blue Peter explained: ‘When the motorbike came flying out, he brushes my arm, pushes me towards the pyrotechnic, which sets fire to my hair, my sleeve, the back of my hand.
‘I was actually very, very lucky that I got out with my life.’
The presenter got caught in the pyro blast (Picture: TikTok)
She successfully took legal action following the incident, while she noted that there was some confusion over the cue to start the stunt.
‘The person who was cuing the motorbike mistook my cue to speak as the cue for the motorbike to fly out of the back of the van,’ she added. ‘And of course, I’m still sitting on the tailgate.’
Anthea Turner went onto host Blue Peter and more (Picture: Desmond O’Neill Features Ltd/REX/Shutterstock)
Anthea, now 62, also had to miss some time in her role hosting The Best of Magic, with the Daily Mirror revealing at the time that she had been pulled after the accident with Annabel Croft stepping in.
Absolutely wild!
A clip of the accident has been shared on TikTok, with fans left shocked by the insane series of events on live television, and the revelation she was getting first aid and ‘a cup of tea’ to recover.
One baffled TikTok user asked: ‘Wait so this actually happened?’
‘I thought this was a bit not actually real,’ admitted one viewer, and another added: ‘See even TV reporters were hard back in the day! She’s been blown up! ambulance? No! Get the kettle on.’
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