"American Idol" contestant Funke Lagoke was rushed to a hospital after collapsing on stage during Monday night's episode. Lagoke fainted while she and Ronda Felton were waiting to hear from judge Lionel Richie if they would advance in the competition following their duets portion for Hollywood Week.
"Funke, you got yourself to the end. The problem is ... Richie said before Lagoke fell face-down onto the stage. He and panelist Luke Bryan rushed to assist members of staff attending to the aspiring pop-star as Katy Perry stood aside in visible shock. Paramedics then wheeled Lagoke off to the hospital where she was treated for dehydration.
Meanwhile, Richie informed Felton that they had progressed to the next round.
"I can't say that I’m happy in this moment, I'm just worried about her health more than anything," Felton said. "I feel like that's the No. 1 important thing right now. I just want to let her know that I love her, that I care about her, I want her to be OK."
This is not the first injury to occur on the set of "American Idols." In February Perry collapsed after a gas leak in the audition venue and in 2014 a former contestant, Michael Simeon, reportedly suffered major ear damage after an earpiece he was wearing tore a portion of his eardrum out. Simeon sued show producers, claiming negligence and product liability, Variety reported.
"Plaintiff has sought medical treatment for his injuries, including right tympanoplasty," his lawsuit stated. "Plaintiff has been unable to perform music at the same level as prior to the incident, due to the absence of much of his eardrum."
The lawsuit sought unspecified damages.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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