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‘Walking Dead’ Producers Cancel Panel to Attend Stuntman’s Funeral

Lennie James as Morgan Jones and Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes on The Walking Dead.
Lennie James as Morgan Jones and Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes on The Walking Dead.Gene Page/AMC

The Walking Dead producers have canceled their upcoming Television Critics Association press tour panel to attend stuntman John Bernecker’s funeral, AMC announced on Thursday, July 27.

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Showrunner Scott Gimple and more were expected to promote the show in Beverly Hills on Saturday.

As previously reported, Bernecker died at age 33 after sustaining a severe head injury on set. He was transferred to an Atlanta hospital after he fell more than 20 feet to a concrete floor during a stunt.

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Last week, Gimple paid tribute to Bernecker during the show’s Comic-Con panel in San Diego. “John passed away this week after he was injured doing something he loved — helping tell stories that excite, entertain, and give people escape,” he said at the time. “John was someone beloved in the stunt community, someone who trained other people and helped them break into the business. He was living his dream, and he helped other people do the same thing.”

Related: The Walking Dead Cast: What They Look Like on the Red Carpet

AMC shut down production on season 8 of The Walking Dead for a week following the tragedy. The show returns on October 22.

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