A stuntman who suffered a serious head injury on the set of action movie Fast & Furious 9 is believed to have been placed in an induced coma after he was airlifted to hospital.
Joe Watts was taken by air ambulance to the Royal London Hospital after being injured at Warner Brothers’ Studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, shortly before midday on Monday.
It is understood he was involved in a fall.
His fiancee, Tilly Powell, reportedly said on Facebook that “he is stable and is being closely monitored.”
Mr Watts most recently appeared in Spider-Man: Far From Home, starring Tom Holland.
Other high-profile productions he has worked on include Game of Thrones, Johnny English Strikes Again, Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Kingsman: The Golden Circle.
Actor Jason Statham said it was “absolutely awful news”.
Speaking at the premiere of Hobbs & Shaw in London, in which he stars alongside Dwayne Johnson, Idris Elba and Dame Helen Mirren, Statham described stuntmen as “really the unsung heroes”.
“They are the ones that put themselves in harm’s way to make other people look good. It’s a real selfless act. We just wish him the best,” he added.
As well as his stunt work, Mr Watts also teaches at a college called The Creative Academy in Slough, Berkshire, where staff said they were “saddened” to hear about his accident.
“We hope he makes a speedy recovery and send our best wishes to Joe and his family,” they added in a statement.
Work on Fast & Furious 9 was halted on Monday as police and paramedics were called to the scene.
The Health and Safety Executive has now taken over the investigation from the police.
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Written by Jackson Miller
