TV presenter who volunteered to be a crash test dummy wins £1.6million ‘brain damage’ payout from the BBC
A TV presenter who volunteered to be a crash test dummy has won a £1.6million payout from the BBC after a judge ruled the stunt left him with brain damage.
Jem Stansfield, 50, agreed to be strapped into a cart and catapulted into a fake lamppost to mimic the effects of an accident.
His head was shown jerking forward and back in the collision on BBC One science show Bang Goes The Theory in 2014.
The aeronautics engineer claimed the impact caused whiplash, brain damage, psychological scars and dizziness.
He sought £3.7million compensation in London’s High Court, saying the smash had robbed him of earnings like those of Top Gear stars such as Jeremy Clarkson.
Delivering her ruling yesterday, Mrs Justice Yip awarded a reduced sum after BBC lawyers argued for a discount due to Mr Stansfield’s “contributory negligence”.
In a written judgment she said: “I must say I find it astonishing that anyone thought this exercise was a sensible idea.
“The effect of the injuries has been to derail the claimant’s successful career in television.”
Mr Stansfield will receive £1,617,286.20 from the taxpayer-funded BBC.