Death-defying roller skating duo Billy and Emily England tricked the judges Tuesday on America’s Got Talent into thinking a horrifying accident happened live on stage.
The brother and sister act stunned with their daring acrobatic moves when Emily suddenly got thrown from the stage at up to 40mph during a final fast spin.
The cameras captured the horrified faces of the judges who all initially seemed convinced that a tragic accident had just happened in the season’s first semifinals.
Unbelievable ending: Heidi Klum was shocked as the death-defying roller skating duo Emily and Billy tricked the judges on Tuesday’s episode of America’s Got Talent
It seemed especially believable as Emily had earlier revealed she was ‘so, so nervous’ about a new move in the act, saying it was ‘the one thing that could go wrong’ and with her brother admitting: ‘It’s a matter of life and death.’
The judges slowly seemed to realize Emily had been thrown off the stage on purpose as Billy remained center stage, his arms raised in victory.
Then they were finally reassured when a smiling Emily came from the back of the stage, still in one piece with host Tyra Banks and judge Mel B both asking: ‘What just happened?’
Supermodel Heidi Klum quickly checked with Emily that she wasn’t hurt, adding sarcastically: ‘I mean, you really have to throw your sister off this platform? Really?’
Brother and sister: Billy at the end of his routine sent Emily flying off the stage
Spinning fast: Emily was spinning fast around the stage before Billy tossed her off
The moment: Cameras captured the moment the judges saw Emily fly off the platform
Too much: Howie Mandel stood up and Mel B looked shock as Emily was thrown off
But she made it clear she was thrilled at the stunt – and even predicted they would win the season and the $1 million prize.
‘You are the definition of the most amazing duo,’ she told them. ‘You make such an impact every time and I think you might roll away with a million dollars this time.’
Howie was one of the most shocked, standing and pointing at the stage with his mouth wide open.
Good one: Heidi checked on Emily and then praised their act as ‘the most amazing duo’
‘You’re nuts — you tricked us!’ he said afterward.
He joked about the fire graphics behind them: ‘I’ve heard all my life, ”Do not throw your sister into the fire.” And you do it!’
‘There’s a few people I’d like to throw into the pit right now,’ quipped Mel, who is going through a bitter divorce, with her telling the duo: ‘You are amazing — you’re warriors, you’re superheroes. Well done.’
High praise: Mel also told Billy and Emily they were amazing
Simon Cowell, meanwhile, told them proudly: ‘This is everything we’ve always dreamt this show would be — it was stunning, it was terrifying, it was brave, it was amazing.’
Earlier, they had revealed just how dangerous their act really could be, with Emily saying: ‘At any moment I know I can break any bone in my body.’
She even recalled a move they call the Head Banger and said: ‘The first time we ever tried to do it, it went wrong. I put my hands behind my head to save myself and smashed my hand into 11 pieces.’
She’s fine: Tyra Banks welcomed Emily back on the stage after she disappeared
Simon, who has been dubbed TV’s Mr Nasty because of his cold attitude and harsh criticism, had an unusually emotional night.
He got close to tears and even blushed wildly over a puppet with a crush on him.
New dad Simon, 57, first exposed his emotions when 13-year-old Evie Claire dedicated her performance of Yours by Ella Henderson to her seriously ill dad.
Teen talent: Evie Claire dedicated her performance to her sick father
His eyes clearly welled-up and his voice cracked as he told her: ‘Let me tell you, your dad is going to be so proud of you.’
‘You just made Simon emotional — I just heard it in his voice,’ Tyra remarked as Evie cried.
‘Yes, your dad is so, so proud of you,’ Mel agreed. ‘I just hope America votes for you.’
Getting emotional: Simon’s voice cracked as he told Evie that her father would be proud
Tears flowing: Evie got emotional after Simon mentioned her sick father
But it was another youngster, 12-year-old ventriloquist Darci Lynne, who brought out an even more unexpected response, leaving Simon with his head in his hands as he went bright red from blushing.
Darci introduced a new character, an elderly woman named Edna Doorknocker, who had a crush on what she called her ‘hunky hunky Englishman.’
‘He’s a hit with the ladies in the eighties back in the home you know,’ Edna said, adding when asked if she feared having a heart attack: ‘Oh don’t worry, Darci. Simon knows mouth-to-mouth.’
Ventriloquist act: Darcy Lynne brought out a new character and introduced an elderly woman named Edna Doorknocker who had a crush on Simon
Edna then went into a stunning version of Aretha Franklin’s (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman — even going right up to Simon on the judges’ table, leaning the puppet’s head on his shoulder and singing straight to him.
‘Simon, you are bright red,’ Tyra told him. ‘How does that serenade make you feel on this stage?’
‘Edna I’ve got a bit of a crush on you,’ Simon joked back, telling the ventriloquist: ‘Darci you are in big trouble — but that aside, this was brilliant. You’re funny and you’ve got a wicked sense of humor.’
Tender moment: Edna leaned her head on Simon’s shoulder as Darcy sang Aretha Franklin’s (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
Loving it: Simon enjoyed Darci’s performance that made him blush at times
Telling her she was headed for the big time, Mel agreed, saying she was ‘mesmerized’ the first time she saw her and thought ‘she could easily, easily win this show 100 percent.’
‘This has been one of the most amazing nights we’ve ever had on AGT,’ Howie Mandel added. ‘You young lady have a great chance of winning it.’
He then turned to Simon and teased him: ‘I think you’re amazing that you can actually make a puppet feel like a natural woman.’
Turned red: The English judge put his head in his hands as he blushed
Formerly homeless comedian Preacher Lawson took a risk by making Tyra the butt of his main joke.
He revealed that he could not have kids with his ex because of her giant forehead — saying ‘you’re not going to pass those genes down to my children’,
He then quipped: ‘Don’t get me wrong, I still love Tyra.’
Funny guy: Preacher Lawson worked Tyra’s forehead into his comedy routine
The host, in a short gold dress, stormed out at the end pretending to be in a bad mood, pulling out some black tape to try to tape-up his mouth.
‘You’re going to need more tape than that!’ Preacher, 26, teased her, having also poked fun at his large lips during his routine.
‘You just came for me — what was that about,’ she asked him, adding: ‘Do you know that you came for every big forehead woman across the country right now?’
Big forehead: Tyra teased Preacher for making her forehead the butt of his main joke
‘But I brought the big forehead and the big lip people together!’ he insisted. ‘You gotta think about that!’
His act got a standing ovation from all four judges, with Simon saying: ‘Why haven’t you got your own sitcom? Why aren’t you doing major, major gigs? Because to me you can come onstage and make the whole place laugh. You’ve got it.’
‘You are about to get it,’ Howie then predicted. ‘You are about to get everything you’ve dreamed of. I’ve gotta see you in the finals.’
Got it: Howie predicted that Preacher was going to be a big time comedian
‘You kill it every single time,’ Mel told him. ‘You are so, so, so funny. You’re brilliant.’
Heidi, meanwhile, told the comedian, who had said he was ‘surprisingly ugly’ as a child, that ‘I think you are very, very handsome and you have a great set of lips.’
Johnny Manuel also took a risk in performing his own original song – a move some of the judges feared may have been the wrong decision.
Own song: Johnny Manuel took a risk and performed his own song
‘This is me showing the world who I truly am,’ Johnny said before the performance of the tune with an epic, uplifting chorus.
‘Technically you’re one of the best singers I’ve ever heard,’ Howie told him, before adding: ‘You might have made a mistake by doing an original.’
To boos from the audience, he added: ‘I don’t think it was that catchy and I think he would serve himself better by doing a classic, diva-kind of hit that took him this far.
The judges: Howie, Mel, Heidi and Simon had fun watching the 11 acts perform in the semis
‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’
‘I can kind of agree with you,’ Mel said of Howie’s comments.
Heidi was a little more forgiving.
Flame on: Mel joined the judges’ table with fiery red hair
‘I admire you for bringing an original here and I do think this is a hit. I would love to hear this song again on the radio,’ she said.
Simon, meanwhile, insisted: ‘There is only one risk being a performer and that is mediocrity. So you have my respect showing us, America, who you are.’
Johnny got emotional when Tyra asked about his decision, telling her: ‘I just feel like for so long I have had to fight to be who I am.
Risk taker: Johnny said he performed an original song to show who he really is to viewers
‘I wanted to present myself, I didn’t want to come out here and do another cover. This song really means a lot to me and I wanted this moment for myself.’
In stark contrast, young singer-songwriter Chase Goehring performed yet another original tune, What Is Love, and received high praise all around for doing so.
‘If Ed Sheeran and Logic had a child, it might be you,’ Howie told him, with Chase telling him: ‘That is a huge compliment, thank you.’
Original song: Chase Goehring also performed an original song
‘I think you are such a special person,’ Simon told him, adding: ‘Such a special singer, what a great songwriter. You’ve got the strength and courage to show people who you are.
‘I love you Chase and I really pray you’re in the final.’
Heidi, meanwhile, had praise that may even be sweeter music to his ears, telling Chase: ‘I think there are so many girls at home right now watching you and they all have a huge crush on you — and they’re all going to vote for you!’
Sweet music: Heidi told Chase that he was going to have girls crushing on him
‘Aw stop it,’ Chase blushed, with Tyra insisting: ‘I think so too.’
Asked how he was feeling, Chase said: ‘Honestly when I started writing songs I wanted to change other lives but I feel like America’s changing my life right now.’
DaNell Daymon broke down in tears when the 39 singers in his Greater Works gospel choir finished their powerful version of Aerosmith’s I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing, leaving Mel screaming: ‘Jesus take the wheel!’
Stellar performance: DaNell Daymon and Greater Works gospel choir stunned yet again
‘You just get me every single time,’ Simon told them. ‘I think you’re the life and soul of this show.’
DaNell cried in a pre-taped section where he recalled how at age 18 he had planned to kill himself by jumping off the front of the Navy ship he was on, tormented by the discovery at 15 that the man who raised him was not in fact his real father.
‘I didn’t want to be here anymore. But something wouldn’t let me jump,’ he said, insisting that when he finally put together Greater Works it ‘allowed me to realize why I am here.’
Tough time: Tyra and the judges were moved by DaNell’s story
‘I founded this choir because of my love of music. What I didn’t realize was it was going to give me back my life,’ he said.
After the performance, Howie said: ‘This may be inappropriate, but Darnell I would like to adopt you, I want to be your father.’
Darnell then broke down yet again when Tyra asked him about his confessional in his pre-taped piece, supporting him after he said: ‘How you get here doesn’t define what your future will become. All you have to do is believe in yourself.’
Sage advice: DaNell got emotional again when Tyra asked about his pre-taped confessional
Eric Jones, the only magician left in the competition, got emotional as he revealed that it would be the first time his son Cameron would get to see him on a big stage.
‘Magic is how I support my family, but because I travel 200-plus days a year I haven’t been able to be the father to Cameron that he deserves,’ he had admitted,
‘I didn’t get to see his first steps, I didn’t get to hear his first word — I wasn’t there. I want to be there now.’
Father and son: Eric Jones was hoping to find success for his son Cameron
Eric had the judges at new tables onstage — telling each they were ‘my favorite judge’ —and accidentally calling Heidi ‘Mel,’ joking: ‘Alcohol will do that.’
His act saw him turning his ‘lucky $2 bill’ into coins, making the coins then disappear and reappear in the judges’ tables, ending up under a $100 bill Simon handed him — and turned back into the original $2 bill.
‘It was wow, wow, wow,’ Howie told him, adding: ‘This is the kind of stuff this show is about. You are worth a show, you are worth going to the finals. Vote for this — it was magic.’
Magic man: Howie was recruited as part of Eric’s magic routine
‘Eric, I think you’re ready for the finals,’ Simon told him. ‘It was magic.’
His son Cameron was then seen supporting his dad in the audience, with Eric saying: ‘He deserves the world, and I would like to give it to him.’
Yoli Mayor had been tearful when she recalled how she feared she was being sent home in an earlier round, with Simon admitting her performance had been lacking.
Powerful voice: Yoli Mayor returned to form during the semis
‘This is the dream I’ve worked my entire life towards and it was almost ripped away from me,’ she recalled.
After getting through in a nail-biting decision, she said: ‘I never want to feel that again. I’m so far from ready to be done — I’m going to fight to be here.’
Her stripped-down version of James Arthur’s So You Won’t Let Go left all but Howie standing in ovation, with Simon quickly gushing: ‘You are BACK!’
Standing ovation: Simon told Yoli that she was back after her performance
‘You brought a little tear to my eye,’ Heidi told her, with Simon joking it was ‘a first’ and Heidi happily agreeing: ‘It is.’
‘Holy Moly Yoli,’ Howie quipped, adding: ‘I think you’re talent is pure and I think it’s evident. You’re a wonderful young lady.’
Dog dancing act Sarah Carson and Hero performed a beach-themed routine to Walking On Sunshine, with pooches Hero and Loki cracking up Simon as they fought over a frisbee at the end while he tried to comment.
Dog act: Sarah Carson and hero performed a beach-themed routine
‘They’re not listening,’ Simon joked, adding: ‘This is not the first time a dog has ignored me.’
He then insisted: ‘You’re a star — amazing.’
‘You and your dogs just make me so happy,’ Mel said, while Heidi added: ‘This act is beyond cute.’
Earlier, Sarah had talked about how she had been suicidal when she found Hero, saying: ‘Hero filled up my emptiness. Hero rescued me, and I got to pay that forward by rescuing my two other dogs.’
Life saver: Viewers learned that Sara was once suicidal and Hero helped her fill the emptiness
After New York subway singer Mike Yung sang Solomon Burke’s Don’t Give Up On Me, Simon told him: ‘I’m not going to give up on you, Mike. I’m going to remember this performance. I really like you. You deserve to be here, you deserve your shot in the final. I couldn’t be happier for you.’
‘We’re definitely not giving up on you, especially when you sing like that,’ Heidi agreed. ‘You’re a very very special man.’
Mel, however, admitted that she ‘had given up on you a little bit’ — quickly adding to boos from the audience: ‘Tonight I got it — this was your best, best performance and now I understand you.’
Subway singer: Mike Yung belted out Solomon Burke’s Don’t Give Up On Me
He dedicated his performance to his mother, saying she had won the talent show at Harlem’s famed Apollo Theater six weeks in a row but ‘put her dreams on the back-burner’ to raise her children.
‘She always said to me, ”Never give up on your dream — because you are a star.”
Saying he often came close to quitting, he added with amazement: ‘Look at me, I’m one step away from the finals of America’s Got Talent.’
Only five of the 11 acts that performed Tuesday will advance to the finals.
Golden girl: Tyra shined in a little golden dress during the semis