‘Wipeout’ Reboot Contestant Died Of Heart Attack, Says Coroner

A 38-year-old man who was hospitalized after filming for the TV show “Wipeout” last year died of a heart attack, according to a report released Friday from the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.

According to NBC News, the coroner’s office determined that Michael Paredes, who was hospitalized after filming for the show “Wipeout,” suffered from undetected coronary artery disease, which led to him having a heart attack. Paredes died at the hospital the day after competing on the show.

Paredes reportedly fell into a pool of water after clearing the second of three obstacles in the “Wipeout” course, according to NBC News, which obtained a copy of the coroner’s report. He required help getting out of the pool, and then, after he was taken out, lost consciousness while in a wheelchair. His fiance told authorities he frequently exercised, and didn’t do any drugs or drink alcohol.

TMZ, which first reported on the man’s death in November and also obtained a copy of the coroner’s report, reports that Paredes leaned from side to side while in the wheelchair before going into cardiopulmonary arrest. According to TMZ: “The autopsy reveals extensive blockage in his coronary arteries. The right coronary artery had up to 90% stenosis — narrowing or restriction — and the other coronary arteries had issues as well. An acute case of pneumonia is also mentioned as a secondary factor.”

As a contestant, Paredes reportedly would have undergone a medical evaluation prior to filming, reports People Magazine. NBC News reports that he passed a drug screening, and also took an EKG and tested negative for COVID-19 prior to becoming a contestant.

“There is an onsite safety team that is comprised of several paramedics, two set medics, a paramedic coordinator and a safety producer,” a source close to the production team told PEOPLE Magazine back in November. “There is a safety team present at all times.”

A spokesperson for TBS, which picked up the show back in April of 2020, said in November they were “devastated” to learn about Paredes’ death, and were extending their “deepest sympathy” to the man’s family, reported Variety. Endemol Shine North America, the production company behind the TV show, also offered its “heartfelt condolences to the family,” and said through a spokesperson that their thoughts were “with them at this time.”

The TV show “Wipeout,” which first aired between 2008 and 2014, would place contestants in a large obstacle course where they would compete individually for a large monetary prize. TBS announced last year that the show would return with “twists and new elements,” and this time it would be co-hosted by WWE star John Cena and actress Nicole Beyer.

TBS promoted the reboot as a competition “that will push contestants’ athleticism and determination to even greater extremes.” The reboot of the show does not currently have an advertised air date.

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