Reality TV next stop for USU’s Wild Bill
After impressing producers with a TV interview, “Wild” Bill Sproat has scored a starring role in Fuel TV’s “Thrillbillies,” a spinoff of the show “Nitro Circus,” where actors perform extreme and daring stunts.
“The owner saw me on the news and thought I’d be a good fit, so he asked me to come tryout,” Sproat said.
Fuel loved season one of the show and decided to continue it on for a second. With the new season you can expect a stronger cast and crazier stunts, Sproat said.
“I’m having a blast,” Sproat said. “The cool thing is I get to work with Travis Pastrana and other members of the ‘Nitro Circus’ crew. It’s just a bunch of fun guys doing stupid stuff.”
Stunts have included riding Segways in a skatepark and strapping skis to a La-Z-Boy and taking it off 15-foot jumps.
“It’s been pretty crazy,” Sproat said. “Ibuprofen and I are becoming great friends.”
Some of the stunts have led to some minor injuries for Sproat. He cut his head open and bruised his foot after jumping off a 20-foot platform into 3 feet of water. He was a little shaken up but had no serious injuries.
“Sometimes I don’t make the best choices, and I end up a little sore,” Sproat said. “It’s controlled stupidity. They’ll never do a stunt they know will injure somebody.”
Most of the stunts are planned in advance to make sure they are safe enough. Safety is the top priority.
Sproat said sometimes anticipation before doing a stunt is hard, and the producers have told him to always make sure a camera is pointed at him before attempting anything.
Aggie fans can still expect to see Bill in his typical Section F Row 1 Seat 13 next year.
“I have no plans of leaving Utah State, unless Natalie Portman gives me a call,” Sproat said. “She’s my girl.”
Upcoming shoots for the show include trips to Las Vegas and Lake Powell, which Bill said he is excited about.
Shooting for “Thrillbillies” started on April 9 and will continue until the end of June. The show is scheduled to air January 2011.
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