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Now we have tragic information to report from the world of actuality TV as we speak.
James Barker, a producer on Love Island USA, has handed away whereas filming the present’s eighth season in Fiji.
Information of Barker’s dying comes courtesy of an announcement from Peacock and ITV America.
“James’ unimaginable loss has been deeply felt throughout not simply your entire Love Island USA manufacturing, however all through all of ITV and Peacock,” the networks stated in a joint assertion (by way of Folks).
“He was a beloved and significantly valued member of our collective household whose kindness, expertise and dedication left an indelible mark on all of us and everybody who had the privilege of understanding and dealing with him.”
Peacock and ITV additionally introduced that Barker will probably be honored through the June 16 episode of Love Island USA.
No reason behind dying has been publicly disclosed, however insiders have divulged that Barker died following an “sudden medical emergency” final week.
Barker joined Love Island USA in 2020 as a narrative producer earlier than rising by the ranks to turn out to be govt producer for the present’s previous three seasons.
Alongside the way in which, he performed a key function in each manufacturing and post-production and helped oversee the collection’ soundtrack.
Barker’s tv profession started at Leftfield Photos in 2011, the place he labored on fashionable actuality packages together with Pawn Stars, Cast in Fireplace, and Counting Automobiles.
He later added credit on Queer Eye and several other different unscripted tasks earlier than turning into one of many driving artistic forces behind Love Island USA and its spinoffs.
Simply days earlier than his dying, Barker celebrated the launch of Season 8 on social media.
“We come to Fiji for magic,” he wrote in a June 3 Instagram put up whereas praising the forged and crew behind the collection.
Information of Barker’s dying despatched shockwaves by the Love Island neighborhood, notably as a result of the producer had turn out to be such an integral a part of the franchise’s current success.
Season 8 premiered on June 2 with Ariana Madix returning as host, and manufacturing has continued in Fiji following Barker’s passing.
Tributes from colleagues and followers shortly started showing on-line after the announcement, with many expressing disbelief over the sudden lack of a producer who was broadly revered all through the fact tv trade.
Our ideas exit to Barker’s family members throughout this extremely troublesome time.
We can have additional updates on this creating story as new info turns into obtainable.
