John Bernecker: Walking Dead stuntman dies in fall

Image copyrightJOHN BERNECKER/FACEBOOK

Image captionBernecker reportedly suffered serious injuries after falling onto concrete

Stuntman John Bernecker has died after suffering a fall on the set of The Walking Dead.

AMC Networks said production on the eight season of the hit zombie TV series was "temporarily" shut down after Wednesday's "tragic" accident.

A coroner in Georgia confirmed Bernecker died of blunt force trauma in hospital in Atlanta.

The stuntman's other credits include Black Panther, Logan and the 2015 version of Fantastic Four.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who plays Negan in The Walking Dead, paid tribute on Twitter. "Deep sorrow today, and for every tomorrow," he wrote.

ADVERTISEMENT

"Love, respect, and condolences to johns family, and friends. He will be forever missed."

Image copyrightGENE PAGE/AMC

Image captionBritish actor Andrew Lincoln is among the stars of The Walking Dead

Kellan Lutz, a star of the Twilight film series, 

href="https://twitter.com/kellanlutz/status/885874232122540033" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(17, 103, 168, 0.3); border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.125rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: 1.33333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">remembered Bernecker as "one of the best, most talented stuntmen I have ever been blessed to work with."

AMC said they were "saddened" Bernecker "suffered serious injuries", in a statement released before his death was confirmed.

The show stars Andrew Lincoln, Danai Gurira, Norman Reedus and Cohan as the survivors of an epidemic that has wiped out much of humanity after a zombie apocalypse.

Based on the comic books by Robert Kirkman, the show is due to return to screens in October.