Television personality Grant Denyer's girlfriend rushed to Wollongong Hospital yesterday to be by his bedside after he broke his back in a monster truck accident at Dapto Showground.
The former winner of Dancing with the Stars and host of It Takes Two suffered a vertebral compression fracture after nosediving a 7.5-tonne monster truck into the ground at the showground yesterday.
The diminutive TV star was transferred to St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney last night by ambulance with his girlfriend and former Sunrise morning show colleague Cheryl Rogers.
The former V8 Supercar Rookie of the Year was said to be upset the injury would sideline him from next month's Bathurst 1000 but was in relatively good spirits.
Denyer, 31, was one of three drivers, including former rugby league player Jack Elsegood, demonstrating the car-crushing abilities of the five-tonne-plus monster trucks for the media ahead of the Monsters Tour of Destruction at the venue on Saturday.
Shortly before midday, after the media presentation was over, Denyer returned to the cabin of the 1550 horsepower, 7.5-tonne Motor Storm to do one more jump over five stationary cars.
"He just made a little bit of an error and didn't come off them quite right - the truck came down a bit heavy and nosedived into the ground," tour promoter Clive Featherby said.
"As soon as he got over the cars I knew something was wrong, so we went straight over to him.
"He got out of the car and lay down on the grass and the ambulance came and it took them about 30 minutes to stabilise him."
He was rushed by ambulance to Wollongong Hospital.
Denyer's Network Seven colleague, Robert Ovadia, said the star had suffered a vertebral compression fracture.
"He sounded very croaky," Mr Ovadia told the Mercury at 5.30pm after speaking to Denyer on the telephone.
"There was talk he might be flown to Sydney but they've decided to keep him here for the time being and let the swelling go down before doing more tests.
"I know he's very disappointed to be out of Bathurst (1000) next month but I believe he's been laughing and joking with staff."
Mr Featherby arrived to visit Denyer at Wollongong Hospital last night.
Denyer had been touring nationally as a monster truck driver with Mr Featherby for the past six months, using his wage to fund his real passion, V8 Touring Cars.
"He won't be doing nothing for quite a few months to come, he won't," said Mr Featherby.
"It is sad for us because of all the people that have ever worked for us, he is really kid friendly and when we do the autographs session afterwards ... he stays right until the last autograph at one o'clock in the morning," said Mr Featherby.
"He just enjoys what he does and does a lot of charity work as well."
Denyer's family and friends from Network Seven were still planning to attend Saturday's event, Mr Featherby said.
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