Queer Eye star Tom Jackson has died at age 63 following a battle with cancer.
The sad news was revealed on the official Queer Eye Instagram with hosts Tan France and Jonathan Van Ness paying tribute to their friend Tom, who appeared on the first episode of the Netflix reboot in 2018.
"It's with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to a member of our family. Rest in peace, Tom Jackson," read the post, which was accompanied by a number of photos of Tom's time on the show.
France was one of the first to respond as he penned: "Such incredibly sad news" with Van Ness adding: "RIP Tom [RED HEART EMOJI]'
Co-host Bobby Berk later wrote: "Having a Redneck Margarita in your honor".
An obituary written by Jackson's family said that he considered his stint on Queer Eye one of the 'highlights' of his life.
They said the much-loved grandfather 'enjoyed the notoriety and shared his experience with whoever would listen!'
He starred in episode 'You Can't Fix Up Ugly' where he was given a makeover from the group to help restore his confidence.
Jackson was also treated to a brand new wardrobe, a home revamp and given advice to live a healthier lifestyle.
Paying tribute to the one time reality star, his family said in a statement: "In lieu of flowers, please watch season 1, episode 1 of Queer Eye on Netflix and tell others about it in honor of Tom.
"We will never forget our beloved Tom. He brought joy, humor, persistence, and love to our family.
"He is special to us, and we look forward to seeing him again one day."
Tom's obituary says he passed away on Friday 3 March at Kennestone Hospital in Georgia, where he spent his final days surrounded by his family.
He is survived by his daughter Katie Phelps, grandsons Chandler and Watson Phelps and sisters Kozetta Stewart and Jackie Lynn Childers.
The grandfather died following a battle with metastatic adenocarcinoma, which is a gland cancer that has spread to other areas of the body.
During his time on Queer Eye, Jackson spoke about his experience with lupus.
In a 2021 tweet, Jackson reflected on his time on the show and said he still had a lot of love for the 'Fab 5' - France, Van Ness, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski and Bobby Berk.
He posted: "I'm the 1st episode on Netflix Queer Eye. Everyone that my episode [sic] season 1 episode 1. I was just being myself and having fun with the Fab 5.
"I love all the guys of the Fab 5. I think they all enjoyed working with me. The creators and executives told me that I was a natural..."
Shortly after his makeover, Jackson rekindled his romance with his ex-wife Abby.
Speaking to Inside Edition, he said: "It feels feels really great' to be back together and it 'feels like we're making up for a lot of lost time.'
However, the pair split again shortly after.
Queer Eye - a reboot of Bravo's hit show Queer Eye For The Straight Guy that ran from 2003 to 2007 - premiered on Netflix in 2018.
The reboot has been a huge success, finishing its six season last year.
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