Godfrey Gao, the Taiwanese-Canadian model and actor, has died at the age of 35 after collapsing on the set of a reality TV program.
Gao, whose credits include 2013 fantasy thriller The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones, was appearing on Chase Me, a show that sees contestants compete to win a race. According to wide reports, the show’s producers said he fell and lost consciousness while running in a team event and died at hospital.
According to various reports, Gao was filming a programme called “Chase Me” for a Chinese television network when he suddenly collapsed. After three hours of rescue efforts, he was pronounced dead, Lianhe Zaobao reported.
Gao was reportedly filming a segment which required him to run when he passed out at 1.45am. In its report, Zaobao said that before collapsing, Gao had cried out: “I can’t anymore.”
The TV show Gao was guest starring in features celebrities engaged in strenuous physical activity as part of a race between two teams.
Since news of Gao’s death broke, Chinese netizens have taken to Weibo to question the sometimes extreme lengths taken to secure viewership ratings. Many asked if producers had arranged for medical personnel and an ambulance to be on standby before filming, while some wondered if Gao had been overworked.
