10 Celebrities Whose Hair Caught Fire

Posted by Sarah

In this article: Hair Loss


Not all hair loss is hereditary; it can be autoimmune-based, lifestyle-related or even self-inflicted. It can also be the result of an accident.

As it's Bonfire Night extra precautions should be taken to ensure everyone can enjoy the fireworks safely. In addition to following usual safety advice, if you have long hair and are around bonfires, sparklers or candles, or particularly if you are lighting fireworks, it is important to tie it back to keep it out of the way of flames.

While the London Fire Brigade are pleased to report that 2014 saw its firefighters attending 112 fires on 5th November - a 69 per cent reduction from 10 years ago - they are still urging people not to get complacent this 5th November.

Here is a list of ten celebrities who probably wish they'd taken this advice given each has accidentally set their hair on fire...

Ten Celebrities Who Have Set Their Hair on Fire by Accident1   Michael Jackson


Perhaps most infamous of all is the 1984 incident which saw the King of Pop's hair catch fire whilst filming a Pepsi commercial. The accident, which friends believe the singer never got over, was said to have caused Michael Jackson migraines as well as hair loss. He developed a bald patch due to scarring alopecia, also known as cicatricial alopecia, the permanent hair loss condition which occurs when follicles are destroyed, often by fire or radition, preventing regrowth. This is the most common cause of hair loss in people with badly burnt scalps although bald patches from Alopecia Areata, brought on by the shock of an accident, may also occur up to three months after the trigger event.

2   Michael Clifford, 5 Seconds of Summer guitarist


Australian pop star, Michael Clifford made headlines for all the wrong reasons when he sustained burns to his face after getting too close to a stage pyrotechnic which set his hair ablaze. Despite initial concerns about the severity of the accident, which happened during a live 5SOS concert at Wembley in June 2015, it resulted in minor burns to the left side of the 19 year old's face. Amazingly his hair was only singed and grew back.

3   Skrillex, DJ


EDM DJ, Skrillex was lucky to get away with some burnt ends after leaning over his huge birthday cake to blow out the candles - starting with the furthest away. This left his signature long black hair dangling in the path of the candles nearest to him, causing his hair to catch fire. As onlookers shouted, the multiple Grammy award-winning dubstep star quickly grabbed his hair, squashing the small flames. Perhaps he was trying some (highly discouraged and dangerous) DIY velaterapia?

4   Catherine Tyldesley, Coronation Street actress


Another birthday cake accident for Catherine Tyldesley who plays Corrie's Eva Price. As she celebrated her 29th birthday with co-stars at The Restaurant Bar and Grill in Manchester, the candles set her hair alight. Anthony Cotton, who plays Sean Tully in the popular soap, live-tweeted the incident, saying, "Birthday update: @Cath_Tyldesley has just set her hair on fire. Actual fire. I put it out but the #privateroom smells of burning bush... as does my hand... I'm not making that up by the way. The weave was on actual fire...".

5   James Hetfield, Metallica


Rock star James Hetfield managed to cause a riot in Montreal after fans protested their gig being cut short, despite a pyrotechnic accident setting the singer on fire. Talking to Ultimate Classic Rock about the 1992 incident, the Metallica frontman recalled realising what had happened, "I’m burnt all my arm, my hand completely, down to the bone... The side of my face, hair’s gone. Part of my back… I watched the skin just rising, things going wrong.” Luckily, due to immediate medical attention, no permanent damage was done to his head, however he received second and third degree burns to his body.

6   Danielle Lloyd, model


The dangers of hair extensions are well documented but catching fire is a new hazard to add to the list. Model and former beauty queen, Danielle Lloyd was filming her workout DVD in 2007 when a technician noticed flames coming from her hair. Lloyd had reportedly been standing too close to a studio light which caused her extensions to catch light. Luckily the quick-thinking techie rushed to her aid and smothered the flames before any significant damage could be done.

7   Ozzy Osbourne


According to his wife, Sharon Osbourne, rock legend Ozzy ended up with a "very weird haircut for a while" after trying to put out a fire in their home. Sharon had left a candle burning when the glass holder shattered, setting fire to their living room. "Ozzy had had surgery on his hand that day, so he had this sling on that was attached to his neck," she told the press. "He goes, 'I'll put it out.' As he's doing that his hair catches on fire! So Ozzy's hair was burned and his little cheeks." It is unknown whether any lasting damage was caused although the Black Sabbath singer does appear to have a more uneven hairline now, with his left side looking higher than before the accident.

8   Miyoki Jones, model


Miyoki Jones became a worldwide internet sensation after a video of her hair catching fire at a party held by music mogul P Diddy and comedian Kevin Hart was posted on YouTube. The model, who became popularly known as 'Hair Fire Girl', was sat in a bath surrounded by candles when her hair caught light. She quickly put it out and escaped serious injury. Her hair, however, was reported to have sustained extensive damage. Thankfully, Diddy said he would stump up however much money was needed to get Jones' hair back to its best.

9   Gene Simmons, KISS frontman


The glam rock group are well known for their wild antics so it's perhaps no surprise that frontman, Gene managed to set his hair on fire many times during the band's stage shows. The singer would often indulge in some 'fire-breathing' to entertain the crowds which reportedly ended in his hair being set alight over half a dozen times. Luckily a roadie knew the drill and was always on hand to snuff the flames out with a blanket. As Simmons is known to wear wigs and hairpieces to cover his male pattern hair loss, it is unknown whether this caused any permanent damage.

10 Harry Styles, One Direction singer


Photos from One Direction's second Chicago concert in July 2013 appeared to show teen heartthrob, Harry Styles with his famous hair on fire. However, the Daily Mail reports that it was, in fact, a near miss thanks to then-bandmate Zayn Malik. Malik managed to grab Styles who was walking straight into the path of a flaming pyrotechnic due to the towel on his head blocking his vision.


Copy of New Street Ground Floor Reception 1 no pink nail polish

The Belgravia Centre

The Belgravia Centre is a world-renowned group of a hair loss clinic in Central London, UK. If you are worried about hair loss you can arrange a free consultation with a hair loss expert or complete our Online Consultation from anywhere in the world for home-use treatment.

View our Hair Loss Success Stories, which includes the world's largest gallery of hair growth photos and demonstrates the level of success that so many of Belgravia's patients achieve.

Posted by Sarah

In this article: Hair Loss


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