Tom Jackson, one of the most well-known former contestants on the makeover programme, passed away at the age of 63.
When Netflix revived the show in 2018, Jackson was the first person the “fab five” transformed.
With a “heavy heart,” the Queer Eye cast members said they were saying goodbye to a “member of the family” in a tribute.
According to the obituary published by his funeral home, Jackson had been identified as having gland cancer that had metastatic adenocarcinoma.
The show’s fashion expert Tan France commented: “Such incredibly sad news.”
Grooming expert Jonathan Van Ness posted: “RIP Tom”, while interior designer Bobby said he was “having a Redneck Margarita” in Tom’s honour.
it’s with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to a member of our Queer Eye family. Rest in peace, Tom Jackson pic.twitter.com/OiNpT3IneA
— Queer Eye (@QueerEye) March 9, 2023
The obituary stated that Jackson considered his appearance on Queer Eye to be a “highlight of his life” and that he lived in Georgia in the United States.
He took pleasure in the attention and told anyone who would listen about his experience [on the show].” it continued.
Jackson made an appearance in the pilot episode of the new season of the show, You Can’t Fix Ugly, which helped establish the tone for the new season.
Bravo, a cable television network, broadcast the first season of the Queer Eye show from 2003 to 2007.
With a new cast of makeover experts, each with a focus on a different aspect of culture, fashion, grooming, food, or design, it was relaunched by Netflix.
The rebooted show had a marginally different tone from the original. Producers changed the location from New York to the Deep South of America and started selecting a wider range of men to participate. Some of the new competitors were more traditional men who may not have intentionally interacted with gay people in the past.
The participants’ physical appearance and overall wellbeing, as well as their mental health, were given more attention.
In his episode, Jackson talked about his lupus and his love for his ex-wife Abby Parr, whom he later reconciled with.
His family expressed gratitude to the medical staff at Kennestone Hospital for providing him with “treatment and comfort during his final days”.
The family proclaimed, “We will never forget our beloved Tom. “He made our family happier by adding humour, perseverance, and love. He holds a special place in our hearts, and we hope to see him again soon.”
In lieu of flowers, his family has requested that people watch his episode of Queer Eye on Netflix in his honour.
