I was paid to break into buildings
Bridget’s unique job has taken her around the world, and now on TV!
I performed in front of crowds of up to 80,000 people
every night
Bridget Burt, 23, Gold Coast, Qld
Plummeting towards the ground at around 200 kilometres per hour, I could hardly wipe the smile off my face.
Despite skydiving more than 260 times, the feeling of hurtling through the air never got old!
Though some people think I’m crazy, it’s all in a day’s work for a professional stunt performer.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a total adrenaline junkie.
Even as a young girl,
I was always climbing the tallest trees in my neighbourhood or learning tricks on my skateboard.
At school, drama was my favourite subject and I loved performing in front of an audience.
Then, after I graduated in 2014, my rst job was working for a water sports company where I instructed people how to ride jetskis.
Before long, I’d also learned how to operate
yboards. Powered by water jets at the base, the boards propel users in the air as if they are ying.
I feel like superman! I beamed.
Incredibly, just four months later, I landed a role as a yboard performer at a theme park in China where I performed as part of a group in front of crowds of up to 80,000 people every night.
Doing tricks while more than 20 metres up in the air, was amazing.
But the job wasn’t without its risks and I sustained multiple injuries, including a broken ankle.
Another time, I fell face- rst off my board into the ocean and hit the sea
oor, which caused my teeth to go through my lip.
Still, I loved every minute of it. So, when my contract ended after two years,
I moved to Spain to perform at another theme park.
Though it was often taxing on my body, I never stopped moving even on my days off.
Instead, I’d spend my time exploring, and travelled around Europe, including Italy, Malta and Norway.
Incredibly, I’d managed to travel to 28 countries by the time I was 22.
Then, in March 2019, I moved to London and began training to become a certi ed stunt performer.
Training up to 10 hours a day in different sports, such as taekwondo and gymnastics, I felt like I’d
nally found my calling.
Better yet, it helped me connect with other people who loved pushing themselves just as much as I did.
Together, we would nd spots to go rock climbing, hiking and trying out any extreme sport that got our hearts racing.
It was through them that I was introduced to the coordinator of a stunt school who was looking for willing candidates to break into buildings to test their security systems and get paid for it.
I’d never done anything like it before, so I jumped at the chance right away.
When we arrived, we met with the managers of the company who gave us blueprints to the site.
Then, dressed in matching blue uniforms, complete with white hard hats and safety glasses, our role was to make it from one end of the building to the other without raising suspicion from other workers.
Jumping over obstacles such as roofs and barbed wire fencing, we managed to go unnoticed – not once, but twice.
But, on our third attempt we were stopped by an employee who realised we weren’t members of staff.
Thankfully, we avoided any punishment once we explained what we’d been hired to do.
It was such a thrill!
But when COVID-19 struck, I returned home to the Gold Coast where I’ve
been lucky enough to work as a stunt double on several lms.
Then, in August 2020, I landed my most exciting role yet – as a Pro Tagger in Channel 7’s new show Ultimate Tag.
Playing a character named Bandit, my job is to catch players before they’re able to complete the three-dimensional course.
Teaming up with other Pro Taggers, including sprinters, gymnasts and martial arts professionals, has been so much fun.
Though my job as a stunt performer can be challenging, I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Every day I feel like I’m a superhero! ●
Jumping over
roofs and barbed wire fencing, we went unnoticed
Ultimate Tag will premiere on Channel 7 at 7pm on March 7.