Josh Knowles participated in the reality show Full Metal Jousting on the History Channel.
/ Lisa Edge
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) - Jousting dates back to the Middle Ages and now the History Channel is bringing it back to life with the show Full Metal Jousting. It features 16 contestants including Josh Knowles, who plays a knight at Medieval Times in Myrtle Beach. He made it to the final round.
Jousting is often referred to as history's first extreme sport.
"You basically wear a suit of armor, ride down full speed on a horse and attempt to hit your opponents grand guard which is basically a steel plate that's bolted to their shoulder and knock them off their horse," explained Knowles.
After eight passes the person with the most points wins. He even had to face one of his friends, Josh Avery, who also lives in Myrtle Beach. Knowles won the battle and continued in the competition which he decribes as a unique experience.
"You get to be in that brotherhood atmosphere there are only 16 guys on the planet that have ever done what we did. Lived together for a month learn how to train, joust, and eventually at the end you are all at a level where your considered to be professionals," added Knowles.
The show was filmed in Mississippi last year and Knowles hasn't been able to talk about what happened, "I tell people it's like a strange alternate dimension where you had to try to kill your friends to escape and I'm not allowed to talk about it until it comes on the television."
Today he's back home and entertaining crowds at Medieval Times. Most nights he plays the villain, "The green knight is the fun knight. He gets to do all the evil stuff and taunt people and you know scare the kids and all that kind of stuff."
Knowles said he's looking forward to new opportunities that may come his way, "I definitely would do it again. It's one of those things you can't ever really get the same kind of rush, the same kind of thrill. It doesn't exist anywhere else. There's nothing like actually physically jousting somebody."
Viewers watched him win the $100,000 grand prize Sunday night.
