The reality-TV producer died during production of the dating competition series.Show Caption
Television producer James Barker, best known for his work on the reality-TV series "Love Island USA" and "Pawn Stars," has died. He was 40.Barker, who served as an executive producer on "Love Island USA," died last week after suffering an "unexpected medical emergency" while filming the dating competition series in Fiji, the show's network, Peacock, and production company, ITV America, confirmed to USA TODAY on Monday, June 15.Additional details on the circumstances surrounding Barker's death were not immediately available."James' unimaginable loss has been deeply felt across not just the entire 'Love Island USA' production, but throughout all of ITV and Peacock," the networks said in a statement."He was a beloved and greatly valued member of our collective family whose kindness, talent and dedication left an indelible mark on all of us and everyone who had the privilege of knowing and working with him," the statement continued. "We extend our heartfelt condolences to James' family, friends and colleagues."Barker started working on "Love Island USA" in 2020, working his way up from story producer to executive producer. His six-year tenure included production and post-production work on the Peacock series, as well as overseeing the show's soundtrack.In addition to his work on "Love Island," Barker worked as a producer on the History Channel reality series "Pawn Stars" from 2012 to 2016, as well as served as an executive producer on the Hulu dating show "Are You My First?" in 2025.In 2018, he worked on four episodes of the Netflix lifestyle series "Queer Eye" as a story producer.Barker will be honored with a tribute on Tuesday's episode of "Love Island USA," according to Peacock and ITV America.Barker is survived by his partner, Adam.This story was updated to add new information.
