Jacky Wu hints that variety show may end due to Alien Huang's death

Alien Huang’s sister Huang Ting-ting posted this family photo on Aug 8 of (from left) her with her father, Alien Huang and a nephew. PHOTO: HUANG TING-TING/INSTAGRAM

Taiwanese television host Jacky Wu hinted that Mr Player, the popular outdoor variety programme he co-hosted with singer-host Alien Huang, may end after Huang's sudden death last week.

Wu was one of the more than 70 celebrities who attended Huang's three-day wake last Saturday.

The 36-year-old singer, actor and TV presenter was found dead at home last Wednesday. An autopsy concluded that he died of an aortic dissection, which had led to a blockage of his blood vessels.

An aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition which occurs when the inner layer of the aorta - the large blood vessel branching off the heart - tears.

Wu, 62, was at the wake for about two hours with his daughter, TV host Sandy Wu, and Kid Lin, the other Mr Player co-host yesterday.

Wu told Taiwanese media: "Kid and I are unable to continue recording the show. We will air the remaining five episodes we have recorded before discussing the next step."

He said he and Lin have written a song titled ? for Huang. They used the question mark to show they could not come to terms with their co-host's death at such a young age.

The lyrics include: "How far is heaven? Did you bring enough luggage?"

Other celebrities who attended the wake were Huang's ex-girlfriend, singer Rainie Yang; TV host Sam Tseng as well as actors Ann Hsu, James Wen and Sunny Wang.

His current girlfriend is cheerleader Wu Han-chun, whom he had been dating in secret for the past 1 1/2 years.

Taiwanese entertainer Show Lo, who co-hosted the long-running variety show 100% Entertainment with Huang, was believed to have gone to pay his respects at around midnight yesterday.

He posted on Instagram a photo of himself outside the wake venue and wrote: "I have come to see you. I hope you can hear me as I have many things to say to you. RIP."

Huang and Lo used to be good friends while hosting 100% Entertainment, but did not keep in touch when the former left the show after a misunderstanding.

Meanwhile, Huang's younger sister Huang Ting-ting lamented on social media how much she missed him and said she regretted not taking more photos with him.

She also posted a family photo taken before her brother's death.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 21, 2020, with the headline Jacky Wu hints that variety show may end due to Alien Huang's death. Subscribe