Cambridgeshire entertainer JezO is bound in a shed as Mini hurtles towards it for latest stunt
Daredevil Soham-based entertainer JezO has followed up last year’s exploding Mini stunt with a new challenge suggested by a reader of the Cambridge Independent.
Last year, he drove the car blindfolded around a perilous course he had memorised with a ‘bomb’ in the back, as we reported.
Last Tuesday (March 23), the magician and president of The Pentacle Magic Club in Cambridge put himself in further mortal danger using the same (rebuilt) Mini – purchased for him by Wallis & Son in Barton, with whom he has worked for years.
His latest endeavour took place at The Manor Barn, Harlton.
The 35-year-old was padlocked and handcuffed into a mail bag in a shed built around him, before attempting to escape from his predicament ahead of the Mini hitting it at speed.
JezO – real name Jez Bond – who also took part in last year’s Britain’s Got Talent with his dad, spoke to the Cambridge Independent the evening before the stunt, after a day spent practising.
“I’ll have one more go tonight with the padlocks...” he said.
Describing his challenge, he said: “I’ll be locked in an old, traditional mailbag, handcuffed and chained, and then we’re going to put a padlock through the mailbag. I’m going to escape from there – and the shed – before the car smashes it.”
At least, that was the plan.
The Mini was driven by Elliot Wallis, owner of Wallis & Son, who took part in the previous stunt last November. “His dream has always been to crash through a shed,” explained JezO, “which I didn’t realise. He’s a massive Top Gear fan.”
Our previous article on JezO’s exploits invited readers to email suggestions for future stunts involving the Mini – and someone duly did.
“I asked him if he wanted to come,” said JezO, “and he said no because he’s shielding. But he emailed and said, ‘Why don’t we lock JezO in a shed and drive the Mini at it?’ To be fair, I don’t know if that means he’s a fan or not a fan...”
JezO bought the shed off eBay, took it apart and then it was built up around him on the day of the stunt.
There to capture all the action – and check the chains were genuine – was the Cambridge Independent’s picture editor Keith Heppell.
“It’s very important to prove that the locks are real,” said JezO, “and the one person there who’s not in the loop is Keith, because we’re trying to keep numbers down on site, and everyone will be masked-up. We take Covid really seriously.”
JezO estimated that the car was travelling at at least 35-40mph when it hit the shed. “We are going to have a test run without him hitting the shed,” he said, “because we’ve only got one shed! So very exciting, or stupid...”
Nervously, we rang JezO after the stunt... “We did it,” came a relieved voice. “I think the words ‘smashed it’ have never been more appropriate.
“The shed is obliterated! It went really well, everything to plan.
“We smashed the windscreen this time, and the biggest thing we weren’t expecting was it nearly killed Elliot -– more so than me, because the shed got stuck under the wheel and the brakes failed, so he just ploughed into a load of hay bales!”
Don’t try that at home.
You can email JezO with any other suggestions for daredevil stunts involving the Mini at jezo@jezo.co.uk.
A video of the stunt will soon be up on the Jez Bond Facebook and Instagram pages.
Read more
Cambridge magician JezO’s greatest trick yet: Driving blindfolded in a car rigged to explode
The moment South Cambridgeshire MP Heidi Allen was 'sawn in half' live on stage in Cambourne
