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VIDEO: B.C. 91Ƶescapologist91Ƶ stuns judges on Britain91Ƶs Got Talent

Matt Johnson says televised water stunt was closest he91Ƶs come to death

On a scale of one through 10, just how dangerous is Chilliwack resident Matt Johnson91Ƶs underwater escape trick?

As he told Britain91Ƶs Got Talent91Ƶs judge Simon Cowell: 91Ƶ100.91Ƶ

And that was no joke. When Johnson competed on the show earlier this year, he wasn91Ƶt the only one holding his breath as he struggled to complete his three-step escape. And when it was all over, he revealed that it was the closest he91Ƶs ever come to death.

This explosive escape has Johnson handcuffed and locked into a cube filled with water. It91Ƶs only after picking his handcuffs that can he attempt to find the correct key for the lock 91Ƶ of which there is one mixed in with 20 incorrect others. All 21 keys float in the water below him as he struggles with his hands outside the cube.

As he first steps into the box, head judge Cowell is heard to utter 91ƵThis is crazy.91Ƶ

He tells the judges to get him out if he passes out, and begins to float. After more two minutes underwater struggling to find this needle in the haystack, Johnson finally unlocks the last lock and opened the lid to an uproarious cheer and standing ovation from the audience and the judges.

For his efforts, which left some audience members wiping away tears of relief, Matt received an enthusiastic vote of four yeses to put him through to the reveals round. That91Ƶs where he will discover if he has made the Live Semi-Finals which will take place at the end of May. Johnson is representing Canada, and Chilliwack, as the shows only escapologist.

He has been performing and perfecting his craft in the art of illusion for more than 20 years 91Ƶ and his newest journey into escapology looks set to be the biggest and most profound career move yet.

Britain91Ƶs Got Talent is not the illusionist91Ƶs first foray into television. In the and he also starred in Wizard Wars (SyFy), a show that sees the worlds top magicians battling head to head.

It is Matt91Ƶs experience in traveling the globe and performing in wildly different capacities, all the time discovering and developing his craft, which makes his performances completely unique and utterly captivating.

In a video interview with a UK television show, Johnson revealed that he dove into the routine as a way to experience what his brother deals with. His brother has a condition called tuberous sclerosis, which causes him to have irregular seizures.

91ƵHe will go a day sometimes, sometimes a week, but you don91Ƶt know when he91Ƶs going to drop, so he can91Ƶt drive or work,91Ƶ the Daily Mail quoted him as saying in that interview. 91ƵSometimes if he has two or three in a row, I wanted as a brother to understand what he goes through, and that91Ƶs how it started.91Ƶ

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Jessica Peters

About the Author: Jessica Peters

I began my career in 1999, covering communities across the Fraser Valley ever since.
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