The father of Married At First Sight New Zealand star Andrew Jury has claimed his son died in jail, as the family seeks answers to his tragic death.
Jury was one of the original stars of the show, which aired in 2017, when he was just 26 years old. He was paired with Vicky Gleeson-Stokes, however the pair split soon after the show.
On Monday, Jury’s father, Roy Jury told the New Zealand Herald his son was at the Mt Eden Corrections Facility on June 27, when he died.
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The former reality star was due to face court later that day and was reportedly set to face charges, including assault with intent to injure, wilful damage and possession of an offensive weapon.
Roy said his son was “struggling” in prison and had stopped communicating with family and friends.
“It should have been a red flag when Andy stopped communicating with family and friends. I and Andy’s extended family and friends are deeply saddened and bewildered by this distressing event,” Roy told the outlet.
On Monday, news was made public by his co-stars Benjamin Blackwell and Angel Renall on Instagram — with the pair sharing a sweet tribute in a joint post.
“We had the absolute pleasure of filming and participating in a show which leaves us intricately linked for a lifetime.
“Despite his struggles, Andrew was always friendly and the life of the party during our shared experience, and he really valued his time on the show.
“At this time our entire cast wish to send our deepest condolences and love to his family — Ben, Angel, Brett, Vicky, Haydn, Lacey, Claire, Dom, Aaron, Luke, Belinda.”
Jury was based in Auckland.
On Sunday, Warner Bros Discovery, broadcaster of the show, released a statement about the death.
“WBD takes duty of care extremely seriously and has protocols in place regarding the wellbeing of cast and crew,” a spokesperson of the company said.
“All MAFS NZ contributors have access to mental health professionals throughout the process, including pre-screening, during production and after broadcast.”
If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For further information about depression contact beyondblue on 1300 224 636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.