The Talk producer dead after ‘losing brave battle’ against ‘unforgiving disease’ & show honors their beloved ‘mama bear’
HEATHER Gray, an executive producer of The Talk, has died aged 50.
Her exact cause of death is unknown but a letter alerting CBS staff of her passing revealed she succumbed to “an unforgiving disease.”
A letter was posted to staff and crew of The Talk on Sunday and signed by numerous presidents of the network.
Informing her colleagues of her sad death, the letter paid tribute to Heather’s “innovative” contributions to the show, which she had been part of for nearly 11 years.
Her death came just months after she had taken some time out to travel around Europe.
The letter began: “Dear Talk Family,
“On behalf of all of us at CBS, we want to extend our deep condolences to you for the painful loss of our beloved Heather. She was an inspiration to us all, living and thriving while bravely battling an unforgiving disease. She showed us what true courage looks like.”
The letter continued: “Heather has been the heart and soul of The Talk from day one. Her brilliance as an innovative producer was only outmatched by her huge smile and infectious laugh. She was an admired, beloved mama bear of your family and a leader that all looked up to. Her contributions to the success of the show are immeasurable, but more importantly, she was a boss that proved you can lead with kindness, caring and friendship. Heather was everyone’s friend, everyone’s champion, everyone’s favorite person on the set. We will miss her terribly.
“We recognize and share the pain and shock you are feeling at this moment, as well as the grief you will feel in the days ahead. While the show is starting its hiatus as of August 1 (Monday), we do not want you to grieve and mourn alone. The set will be open, and HR will have staff and grief counseling available in person and by phone. HR support will be on site as well. We understand how difficult this will be for all of you and want you to all know, that we are here for you.”
BEHIND-THE-SCENES LEGEND
Heather had been a part of The Talk since season one, joining initially as a supervising producer.
The New York native was then promoted to her long-standing role as executive producer in August 2011.
For her work on the show, Heather had won two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Talk Show Entertainment in 2016 and 2018.
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The accomplished producer was also awarded one NAACP Image Award in 2016.
After graduating from Brown University and USC Gould School of Law, Heather had spent the majority of her career in TV.
Before joining The Talk, she worked as supervising producer for The Tyra Banks Show from 2006 to 2010.
She had also won another two Daytime Emmys for that job.
Outside of work, Heather was a huge fan of the New York Giants and the New York Knicks.
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