“Sorry, we didn’t protect Yixiang in his prime”
SCMP reports that the Chinese TV network Godfrey Gao was working for when he died has apologised for his death.
At the end of last month, the Gao died at the age of 35 whilst filming for Zhejiang Television’s variety series Chase Me.
In a post Chase Me director Lin Yong apologised for the death of the Taiwan-born Canadian star, whose name in Mandarin is Yixiang.
Titled “Sorry, we didn’t protect Yixiang in his prime”, Lin said in the post that the network had been “immersed in grief and remorse since the accident happened”.
“We feel we owe an apology to Godfrey Gao, to his parents and to all who loved him,” he said.
The actor and contestant collapsed after running 600 meters and later died in hospital.
Zhejiang Television has since pulled the series.
Gao was the first Asian male model to appear in a Louis Vuitton ad campaign back in 2011. As well as appearing in a range of Chinese films including Shanghai Fortress, Gao also featured in Hollywood films including City Of Bones.
Shortly after his death, Crazy Rich Asians stars Harry Shum Jr and Simu Liu paid their respects to the actor.