KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 — Taiwanese-Canadian model and actor Godfrey Gao had complained of having the flu a day before shooting competitive sports reality show Chase Me on China’s Zhejiang Television.
In a post that was shared through his social media, Gao’s hairstylist Kim Huang wrote that Gao had told him (Huang) that he would be participating in the recording of a reality show on November 26.
“You said that it was a programme that challenges one’s physical fitness and strength. You were worried that you may not achieve what you set out to do,” wrote Huang.
“But I encouraged you and said you normally do your exercise, play basketball and go for gym training, the programme should not be a problem to you,” he added.
The 35-year-old Gao, who was the first Asian to be the face of Louis Vuitton, died while filming in the eastern city of Ningbo for China’s Zhejiang Television.
Gao said he told Huang that he would be returning to Taiwan soon and would be seeing Huang again to style his hair as he would be attending a wedding as the best man.
“On that day (before leaving Huang’s studio), you smiled and said you are leaving first and would see me again on Thursday. But what has become now...,” he shared.
Facebook user Jun-Sheng Lai criticised Huang for not stopping him from participating in the programme.
“Why didn’t you stop him? Still encouraged him to go? It is very dangerous to do high-intensity exercise when you have a cold,” Lai wrote.
On Huang’s Instagram, sclee520 wrote that Gao looked tired in the picture.
“Sad, very unfortunate,” Lee wrote.
In a separate development, screenshots showing conversations, believed to be between Zhejiang Satellite TV employees commenting on Gao’s death have surfaced on social media.
Sin Chew Daily reported that in one of the screenshots, an employee wrote about a supervisor commenting Gao only looked good on the outside but died from running.
After the screenshots went viral, internet users criticised the station and said it was not remorseful over the incident.
The station previously said it would bear the responsibility for Gao’s death.
“To date, it had yet to apologise over the matter,” added the daily.
