Hugh Jackman: I nearly died falling off a horse filming Australia

Hugh Jackman has revealed he tried - but failed and nearly died - to be macho around the horses on the set of Australia.

Hugh plays a rancher on a cattle station in the Australian outback in the epic period film and had to spend a large amount of time on horseback during production - but a rearing horse presented a whole new challenge.

He explained: “Six months into training they brought in a rearing horse.

“The safety officer happened to be onset. He’s always a chump. He’s the guy nobody wants around. He came over with a motorcycle helmet and a padded jacket. He was like, ‘Please wear it, please. For insurance.’ All the horsemen were sniggering, saying, ‘Wuss’.

“I reluctantly put it on. As I pulled on the reins, the horse’s head came back and hit me on the motorcycle helmet. I flew back off the horse and landed on my back. I didn’t move for about five minutes.

“I’m pretty sure [if I hadn’t worn the helmet] I would be dead.”

Instead, he just ended up out of pocket: “In Australia, if you fall off a horse, you have to say the words ‘just taking a piss’ before you hit the ground. If you don’t get the words out, you have to buy a bottle of whiskey for everyone in the horse crew, which is about 25 people.”