MTV has canceled “Buckwild” in the wake of star Shain Gandee’s untimely death.
Gandee, 21, along with his uncle and their friend, were found dead in Gandee’s car on April 1 after going “mudding” – or off-roading – in West Virginia. The local sheriff’s office ruled the deaths were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning due to the car’s tailpipe being submerged in mud.
Production of the reality show was initially suspended following the tragic incident, but after several days network brass decided to axe the series entirely.
The decision has left producer J.P. Williams fuming: “This is the network that has shows about teen pregnancy. They’ll stick by a show that allows you to abandon a child, but a kid dies by accident doing what he does for a living [mudding] and they cancel the show?” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
“There’s something that smells of [bleep] here on every level.”
Williams plans to continue filming the show and make a “Buckwild” film as well.
Following the tragedy, Charleston city mayor Danny Jones urged the network to cancel the show.
“Of the few cast members on the show, already two have had legal issues, and now one has died. The show only enhances the negative stereotype the Kanawha Valley already has,” Jones said to TMZ. “I hope the show’s life is short.”
Cast member Salwa Amin was arrested in connection to a drug raid last month and Michael Burford was arrested on suspicion of a DUI in February.