The bizarre curse felling the strongest Ninja Warrior hopefuls

TIME after time in last night’s semi-final, promising Ninja Warrior contestants crashed out. There was one weird connection linking them all.

LAST night’s semi-final of Australian Ninja Warrior saw contestant after contestant struck down with a curious affliction: The Curse of Rebecca Maddern.

Time after time, the show’s co-anchor would seemingly jinx a contestant’s run with her commentary, pre-announcing them crashing out of the course by mere milliseconds.

At one point in the show, Maddern even joked she should just keep her mouth shut for fear of jinxing another hopeful.

Look, we’re not saying Rebecca Maddern has magical powers, but we’re not saying she doesn’t either.

There was Waratah turned bodybuilder Francis Cullimore, a tank of a man who’d aced his first run through the Ninja Warrior course.

He made it a decent way through last night but met his end clinging for dear life at the spinning wheels obstacle.

“He’s just GRABBED on to that wheel there — and he won’t let go; he’s got a TREMENDOUS grip,” Maddern assured us.

Right on cue, Cullimore lost his grip on the wheel and landed in the drink:

An awesome effort for Francis, but his grip strength let him down in the end! #NinjaWarriorAU pic.twitter.com/UfP8KKdSN4

— Ninja Warrior (@NinjaWarriorAU) July 24, 2017

“NO, NO, NO,” Maddern gasped.

Then there was pocket rocket baker Zayne Wealthall — a backable favourite thanks to his relatively light frame. He came unstuck early, becoming yet another victim of the spinning log.

“He looks INCREDIBLY focused Ben, he has not put a foot wrong-OH. What.”

The @RebeccaMaddern9 jinx strikes again! #NinjaWarriorAU pic.twitter.com/jdh0JVDgM9

— Ninja Warrior (@NinjaWarriorAU) July 24, 2017

Yep, just as she said he hadn’t put a foot wrong, he ... put a foot wrong.

“It’s the Rebecca Maddern jinx and it strikes again,” said Fordham.

Then there was Brodie Pawson, one-half of the ‘parkour twins’ who’d blitzed the first round. Surprisingly, his brother Dylan crashed out of the course early last night — which Maddern reminded us of during Brodie’s run:

“Here we are now at the spinning log, this was Dylan’s downfall ...”

BAM! Down went Brodie.

So who is the better twin? 🤔 #NinjaWarriorAU pic.twitter.com/ThwkhuJYPp

— Ninja Warrior (@NinjaWarriorAU) July 24, 2017

We’re not ones for superstition, but we wouldn’t blame any of the competitors in tonight’s grand final for waiting until Maddern nips out for a break before they tackle the course.

See if the Rebecca Maddern jinx strikes again in the final episode of season 1 — 7:30pm tonight on Nine.

Originally published as The bizarre curse felling the strongest Ninja Warrior hopefuls