James Barker, an executive producer for "Love Island USA," has died at the age of 40 in Fiji while working on Season 8 of the dating competition series.

His death, which occurred last week, was attributed to an "unexpected medical emergency," according to a statement from ITV America and Peacock.

This development is significant as it marks a profound loss for the production team and the broader reality television community, impacting the ongoing season of a popular show.

ITV America and Peacock confirmed that Barker will be honored in an upcoming episode of "Love Island USA."

In their statement, the networks expressed deep sorrow, noting that Barker's "unimaginable loss has been deeply felt across not just the entire ‘Love Island USA’ production but throughout all of ITV and Peacock." They described him as 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."

Barker's career in television began in 2011 at Leftfield Pictures, where he started as an office coordinator before advancing to associate producer and then story producer.

He joined the "Love Island" franchise in 2020 as a supervising producer for Season 3 and later became an executive producer for the spinoff series "Love Island Games." His role involved collaborating with teams to achieve a rapid 24-hour turnaround for six episodes per week.

Beyond "Love Island," Barker also contributed to other notable reality shows, including Hulu's "Are You My First?" and "Claim to Fame," as well as the Emmy-winning Netflix series "Queer Eye."

Outside of his professional life, Barker was a DJ for two decades.

He is survived by his partner, Adam, whom he met at a show.

According to ITV America and Peacock, their shared love of music was central to their life together, both at home and while experiencing music globally.

The cause of Barker's death has not yet been publicly revealed.