Godfrey Gao, a Taiwanese-Canadian actor and model passed away after suffering a heart attack during the filming of a reality TV show in eastern China. Gao was 35.
JetStar Entertainment, his Taiwanese agency confirmed in a statement that Gao passed away early on Wednesday after more than two hours of efforts to revive him.
He was in the middle of filming an episode of Chase Me, a programme made by Zhejiang Television in Ningbo.
The statement said that his manager and staff were beside him, thanking fans for their concern.
In the statement it was announced that Gao, unfortunately, died, leaving them shocked and saddened and unable to accept the fact. Gao’s family rushed to the scene and fans are asked to avoid excessive disturbance to them as they are going through deep sorrow and grief.
JetStar Entertainment will accompany Gao’s family in handling the matters in a low profile.

The TV show Chase Me pits two teams against each other in physical challenges at night.

They released a statement on Wednesday via its official Weibo account.

Gao was running during filming then he suddenly slowed and fell to the ground.

In the statement, it said that the medical staff on the show began rescue efforts immediately and then rushed Gao to the hospital.

The hospital announced that the actor died of cardiogenic shock after more than two hours of reviving efforts.

The team from Chase Me said that they feel incomparable pain and extreme sorrow.

Fans of Gao lamented his passing on social media while some netizens in China raised concerns about the physical demands of Chase Me in a Weibo topic.

The discussion online generated more than 200 million views by early Wednesday afternoon.

One of the episodes required participants to compete in obstacle courses on the streets of Ningbo.

Song Jia, a Chinese actress wrote on Weibo that performers must take care of themselves.

She said that when staying up late becomes a dedication, when working intensely becomes something one should do and when life is not there anymore, who will protect who?

Song Jia urged that in high-risk careers, for those who love the industry, performers must protect themselves and love themselves at the same time.