Manu Bennett has revealed how a horror dune buggy accident ‘pulled out the middle of his hand’, leaving him requiring multiple operations and stitches months after the crash.
The 55-year-old actor, known for his roles in Spartacus and The Hobbit trilogy, shared an X-ray of his hand on Instagram on Monday.
He said he could not share photos of his ‘crushed’ hand on the social media platform because they are too ‘graphic’.
The thrill-seeking star was driving a dune buggy in Dubai two months ago when he lost control of the recreational off-road vehicle.
He turned and Manu flew through the air, his hand caught under the roll bar as the buggy crashed to the ground.
The Kiwi-born, Australian-raised star said the built-in safety feature – meant to protect people in the event of a rollover – effectively became a ‘bear trap’.
Manu Bennett has revealed how a horror dune buggy accident ‘took out’ his hand and left him needing multiple operations and stitches, months after the crash
The 55-year-old actor, known for his roles in Spartacus and The Hobbit trilogy, shared an x-ray of his hand after the ‘nasty’ accident
“Since so many friends have requested it, here’s an x-ray of the multiple fractures in my hand caused when it was crushed by the roll bar of a dune buggy as it rolled over,” he wrote in the caption next to the x-ray.
“Like a bear trap, my hand was removed through the middle.
‘Image is too graphic for Insta, but [I’m] extremely fortunate that my tendons remained intact during the severe crushing.’
Manu is still in Dubai and appeared to be relaxing poolside at a luxury spa on Monday.
In another selfie, Manu looked refreshed as he enjoyed a dip in a large pool. For the photo, he rested his injured hand in the water and his fingers still appeared quite swollen.
The Summit presenter also took time to thank his doctors and surgeon, who he said “literally” spared him the use of his left hand.
‘I am the staff of Rashid Hospital in Dubai and my surgeon ‘The Maestro’ Dr. Indebted and forever grateful to Neboshka, who literally saved my hand,” Manu continued in his caption.
‘But above all, I thank God for watching over me. It could have been a lot worse and I really count my blessings.”
In response to a fan who asked in the comments about the state of his mobility after the accident, Manu added that he is “working towards full mobility again.”
Manu Bennett, 55, directed Channel Nine’s adventure reality TV series The Summit
Manu regularly shares images of his adventurous escapes on social media and has traveled the world from Burning Man in the Neva Desert to Tahiti, Mexico and Egypt.
The world tour saw the star climb Quarry Rock in Vancouver, Canada and show off his physical prowess by pulling up from a tree atop Angels Landing in Utah’s Zion National Park just weeks before the accident.
In another reflective moment, the actor wrote that “after almost cutting off his hand” in the buggy accident, he has become more grateful for his body.
“You can see the stitches in my hand from the last surgery,” he said.
“I have really come to appreciate the body God has given me and how vulnerable each of us is to losing these gifts and this greatest gift of life.”
Manu was born in Rotorua, New Zealand, to a Māori singer and an Australian bikini model mother, and spent most of his young life between Sydney and Newcastle.
He credits his breakout role as Gallic warrior slave Crixus in the Spartacus TV series to his own professional low point, when he spent eight months ‘dragging stones’ as a construction site worker in NSW.
“It really forced me out of my comfort zone, and digging out those swimming pools in the Sydney mansions gave me that top-to-bottom feeling, which would prove crucial in bringing the character to life,” Manu said in a previous interview .
In 2014, the actor revealed that he had lost two major roles to actor Jason Momoa.
He most recently directed season two of The Summit.
The series saw 16 quasi-celebrities and everyday people driven into the New Zealand Alps for two weeks, with the shared goal of reaching the top of the mountain with their share of a million-dollar prize.
Charlotte Skelton, 35, from NSW took the lion’s share of the prize, choosing to share it with two runners-up, former NRL player Mat Rogers and 51-year-old Simmone Jade McKinnon.
They each had $100,000 in their pockets.