TV presenter catches fire in failed stunt

A TV presenter has caught alight in front of a live studio audience after a fire breathing attempt went horribly wrong.

In video released today, Luis Ricardo can be seen calmly preparing to perform the popular fire spitting act during a recording of Brazilian TV show, Ratinho.

He picks up two small fire sticks and casually sets them alight before handing them to one of the show's other presenters to hold.

As the flames begin to steadily engulf the sticks, Mr Ricardo takes a long gulp of liquid which he holds in his mouth.

He can then be seen taking hold of the sticks before lifting them into the air and spitting out the liquid to form a long wild flame.

However instead of the flame self-extinguishing, it continues to lap at Mr Ricardo's mouth and face which forces him to drop the sticks, sees him spitting fire and rush off set.

The show's other presenters as well as studio staff rush to Mr Ricardo's aid, with one employee dashing into shot with a fire extinguisher.

Amid the confusion, upbeat music is blasted around the studio with the stunned audience left to clap along in time with the music.

The chaos didn't end there with a number of the show's employees dressed up as clowns taking a tumble while trying to extinguish one of the fire sticks.

Mr Ricardo was left with superficial burns, according to an Instagram post from one of Ratinho producers.