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A horrific heatwave has laid siege to Europe, subjecting countries unprepared for summer weather to heat normally experienced in places like the southern US.
Despite the deadly heat, Harry Styles’ show was sold out.
His UK audience watched in horror as he appeared to collapse on stage. It was not a stunt.
Was it the heatwave? Or was there some other crisis?
Oh no!
Harry’s Friday night show at Wembley Stadium in London was sold out.
However, mid-performance, he appeared to collapse on the stage.
Yes, there are videos — plural.
As you can see, there’s a split-second where the audience wondered if Harry falling onto the stage was part of his performance or some sort of gag.
But he didn’t get up. He rolled slightly and coughed as thousands upon thousands watched and recorded.
@enricalatorre The man collapsed 😂😂 #harrystyles #harrystylesconcert #toghethertoghetertour ♬ original sound – Enrica Latorre
Temperatures in Europe soared to new heights, breaking records for scorching weather.
As some noted, a French broadcast that warned of what temperatures could one day reach without climate action looks very similar to the actual, real-life weather report from last week.
For much of the world, it may be hard to understand why so many households still do not have air conditioning. Those of us who’ve walked to work in 90 degrees or more of heat know that you need AC in your destination.
That’s really something for Europeans to figure out. It’s simply not part of their culture, and even though it should be, no amount of “please just get AC” is going to get people to protect themselves and their homes.
For performers like Harry, performing on a stage was always going to be hot. With so many buildings lacking air conditioning, it may be that there was no reprieve for him before his show or between performances to quickly cool off.
@hotchismedaily he is so cute #harrystyles #togethertogether #hot #whale #fyp ♬ original sound – hotchismedaily
It wasn’t the heat (it was the water)
However, TMZ reports that it was not the dreadful heat that took down Harry.
Instead, the issue was somehow water.
So what happened is that Harry intended to perform his “whale move,” which he normally executes without issue.
Instead, he ended up choking on water, which seemingly distracted him as he stumbled.
Harry lost his balance and fell to the stage.
PHOTO FOUR
To his credit, he did laugh it off, and exited the stage to make a show that he was uninjured.
Harry then returned to the stage, picking up again with “As It Was” to the delight of the crowd.
Truth be told, it’s good to remember that anyone can choke on anything — or, seemingly, nothing at all — at any time.
You can be alone in your apartment or on stage in front of 12,500 people (that’s the seating for Wembley Stadium).
Hydrating is smart, but make sure that it doesn’t take you out before the heat does.