In a truly fiery and death-defying display, UK daredevil Ryan Luney has set a new Guinness World Records title, performing the most standing backwards somersaults in 30 seconds (full body burn). The 28-year-old stuntman from Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, completed seven backflips while completely engulfed in flames.
The record-breaking stunt was achieved on April 12, 2025, in Wicklow, Ireland, with a professional stunt coordinator on hand to ensure safety. Luney, a seasoned record holder with six previous titles, wore a special flame-retardant suit over several layers of clothing soaked in a protective gel that had been refrigerated for 24 hours.
“I was freezing,” Luney said, recalling the paradoxical feeling of the cold gel against his skin just moments before being set ablaze. With a blowtorch, the stunt coordinator ignited his clothes, and Luney began his acrobatic feat.
As flames licked his sweatsuit and parts of his clothes burned and fell to the ground, Luney’s focus was singular. “Essentially at this moment, all I’m concentrating on is moving, getting the backflip done, straight on to the next one,” he explained. “I’m on fire and I need to move quickly. The oxygen is burning up around me so if I don’t keep moving I could find it very difficult to breathe and find the heat overwhelming.”
After his seventh backflip, helpers rushed in to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher and a towel, bringing an end to the harrowing 30 seconds. Luney emerged without major injuries, adding a sixth record to his name and inspiring him to pursue more full-body burn stunts in the future. His latest achievement serves as a testament to the extreme lengths daredevils will go to push the boundaries of human performance.
