Paralysed BGT star Jonathan Goodwin told fiancée Amanda Abbington she could ‘walk away’ after accident

Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington broke down during her first joint TV interview with Britain’s Got Talent fiancé Jonathan Goodwin when he shared how he had told her she could leave him after a horror accident left him paralysed.

The 42-year-old escapologist had been practicing a stunt during America’s Got Talent: Extreme rehearsals in October 2021 when disaster struck.

He was crushed between two cars which caught on fire when he plunged 30 feet after he tried to escape from a straight jacket while hanging upside down.

Not only did he “nearly die twice,” Goodwin lost a kidney, broke both shoulder blades, shattered both legs, suffered third-degree burns, broke his spine and severed his spinal cord leaving him paralysed from the waist down.

Prior to getting together, he and Abbington had built up a decade-long friendship via social media.

They had been in the early stages of their relationship when Goodwin had his accident and he admitted to giving her the option to walk away.

“I did say you have a get out of jail free card, if you want to walk away then I completely understand,” Goodwin shared during their appearance on ITV’s Lorraine.

Adding: “She told me not to be so stupid.”

Abbington then started to cry as she told TV host Lorraine Kelly how the accident had made them closer than ever.

She explained: “We are closer and tighter than ever. We just have this unspoken thing.

The couple went on to reveal how they plan to say “yes” to everything going forward, including getting married later this year.

“Life’s too short,” said Abbington.

She went on to praise her other half, saying: “He’s a total inspiration, he’s an idiot, all my friends love him, the family love him and kids love him – he’s very loveable.”