'Buckwild' Cancelled: Producer J.P. Williams Furious Over MTV Decision

'This Will Get Ugly'

"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 to THR in the wake of MTV's decision to cancel "Buckwild." “There's something that smells of s--- here on every level."

Production on Season 2 of "Buckwild" came to a halt when cast member Shain Gandee was found dead in his SUV due to carbon monoxide poisoning.

“We are shocked and saddened by the terrible news about Shain Gandee, and those involved in this tragic incident," MTV said in a statement after news of the 21-year-old's death broke. "We are waiting for more information but at this time, our main concern is for the Gandee family and their friends. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. Shain had a magnetic personality, with a passion for life that touched everyone he met and we will miss him dearly."

But Gandee's death only made Williams more determined to continue shooting the series, and he even told THR that he has plans for a "Buckwild" movie.

"My job is to protect these kids,” he said. “This will get ugly.”

The day after news broke about "Buckwild's" cancellation, MTV released the following statement about its decision and announced an upcoming special:

"After careful consideration, MTV will not be moving forward with season two of 'BUCKWILD' in West Virginia. We love the cast and the show and this was not an easy decision, but given Shain's tragic passing and essential presence on the show, we felt it was not appropriate to continue without him. Instead, we are working on a meaningful way to pay tribute to his memory on our air and privately.

On Sunday, we will be running a special 'BUCKWILD: WV to the NYC,' which was shot before production had begun on season two. With the support of his parents, Dale and Loretta Gandee, we will run the tribute following a day of programming dedicated to Shain in which we will air the entire first season of 'BUCKWILD'."

MTV did not immediately respond to HuffPost TV's request for comment on Williams' response.

"Buckwild" was originally renewed for a second season in early February, after averaging 3 million viewers per episode.

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot