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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 shows producers said he fell and lost consciousness while running in a team event and died at hospital.
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Chinese outlet Tencent News reported that an audience member heard Gao shout, “I can’t carry on,” before falling to the ground. He was initially resuscitated and taken to a nearby hospital, but doctors were unable to save him.
Gao’s manager JetStar Entertainment confirmed his death on its Weibo page.
The news has sparked criticism of Chase Me, with many calling for the series to be cancelled. On Chinese social media site Weibo, the hashtag #StopFilming went viral as many weighed in on the discussion.
Born in Taiwan, Gao moved to Vancouver, Canada, during his childhood. He returned to Taiwan to embark on a career as a model, becoming the first Asian model to appear in a campaign for the fashion brand Louis Vuitton. His on screen credits included western The Jade Pendant and sci-fi pic Shanghai Fortress.
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