The magic and excitement of theme parks are explored in this episode of When Holidays Go Horribly Wrong, airing on Channel 5. The show looks into the thrills and spills that attract millions of visitors each year, but also reveals how things can sometimes go terribly wrong.
Narrated by Dermot Murnaghan, the programme highlights a range of incidents and near-misses at theme parks around the world. One of the “highlights” includes a Disney parade that descended into chaos when its fire-breathing dragon became an unexpected inferno, shocking onlookers. The episode also features a cancer survivor and a teenager who experienced a heart-stopping moment when the cord of their catapult ride snapped.
We hear from Danny Simm, a young radio presenter, who was next in line for a ride on the world’s first 14-loop roller coaster when disaster struck. The sight of two carriages colliding, resulting in life-changing injuries for some, is etched into his memory. The show also includes contributions from former theme park workers, Andy Hine MBE, President of the Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain, and thrill engineer and TV presenter, Professor Brendan Walker.
Other incidents featured in this two-hour special include out-of-control rides, foreign roller coasters with questionable safety standards, and a theme park that resembled a ghost town due to its lack of visitors. There are also stories of people riding the rapids, with some boats capsizing, and a man who lost a tooth while experiencing the slingshot ride.
When Theme Parks Go Horribly Wrong airs Sunday, 1 September 2024, at 6:05 pm on Channel 5.
