STUNTMAN INJURED DURING FEAR FACTOR TEST

Dire predictions that a contestant will inevitably be seriously hurt on one of the reality shows that require physical skill gained new attention Monday when a stuntman testing a new setup for the Fear Factor broke both ankles when a safety mechanism failed. According to gossip website TMZ, which first reported the accident, the stuntman was testing a new “challenge” six stories in the air when the mechanism failed, but he was saved from almost certain death by a back-up mechanism that helped slow the fall. Producers of the show told TMZ: “Safety is our first priority, and because of that we test these stunts repeatedly with trained stuntmen to ensure our contestants’ well-being.”