For fans wondering why Ginuwine lost consciousness earlier this month during a stunt for magician Criss Angel’s new CW show Magic With The Stars, Angel has an explanation.
“He got scared of the water and therefore he was not focused on the technique,” Angel told the Daily Mail in an article published Monday. “That is what got him in trouble. And as he struggled, he told me that he blacked out.”
The scary situation unfolded in Las Vegas as the “Pony” singer rehearsed a trick inside a water tank with the famed magician watching nearby.
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On Oct. 12, the Daily Mail posted leaked video of the stunt. The footage showed Ginuwine submerged in a tank of water and tapping on the sides in distress. The singer was quickly pulled from the glass cube, but appeared to be struggling to breathe. He passed out as the crew placed him on the floor.
The day after viral video was posted online, Ginuwine took to Instagram to say: “Laughing my ass off, Prince said it best lololol.” He jokingly added several hashtags, including #imgood and #imnotdead.
In the Daily Mail‘s latest article, Angel admitted the mishap was frightening.
“My heart was in my mouth at that moment. I didn’t know what the hell was going on until we got him,” he said. “You just never know. My concern was whether he had a stroke or heart attack.”
Angel said he trained Ginuwine to hold his breath underwater, but when it was time for the stunt, panic set in.
“Honestly, it showed the world that there is a real danger in doing the stunt. Ginuwine was fine thanks to the safety protocols we had in place,” he added.
Criss Angel: Magic With The Stars premiered Saturday, Oct. 22 on The CW.
“In each episode, two celebrities train with Criss and learn his award-winning, revolutionary magic to compete and create a mind-blowing series of magic performances,” the CW said in a press release.