Taipei: Writer and Golden Bell Award-winning TV travel show host Wang Hao-yi has died at the age of 68 in Taitung County, as announced by his publisher on behalf of his family through a Facebook post on Sunday evening.

According to Focus Taiwan, Hsu Hui-chih, founder of Route Culture, shared the news of Wang’s passing. Hsu, who has published more than a dozen books by Wang, revealed that Wang’s family reached out to him on Sunday to help make the news public. Wang, born on October 22, 1956, was known for his travel show co-presented with writer Liu Ka-shiang since 2014.

Hsu mentioned that Wang had been struggling with cardiovascular issues and they had recently spoken following the death of Wang’s mother, who passed away at the age of 91 on June 24. Wang’s own Facebook page was last updated with photos of him and his mother on that day. Although Hsu did not disclose the cause of death, he remembered Wang as a curious soul with interests in mathematics, architecture, and history.

In a separate Facebook post, Liu Ka-shiang shared that Wang’s younger brother informed him about Wang being found in his car, parked by the side of the road, possibly after feeling unwell. Liu noted that Wang had traveled to Taitung’s A’tolan area to rest due to his heart condition.

Wang and Liu had co-hosted the popular travel show “Slow Travel Adventures in Taiwan” since 2014, guiding viewers through various parts of Taiwan. The show’s seventh season aired earlier this year on Public Television Service. Following Wang’s death, the cover photo on the show’s Facebook page was removed, leaving it blank as a tribute.

The production team praised Wang for his ability to take viewers on journeys through Taiwan’s landscapes, noting his gentle demeanor and poetic wisdom. His contributions to literature and television have left a lasting impact on audiences and colleagues alike.