Set off warning: this text incorporates point out of suicide and different disturbing subjects.
The widow of John Balson, who tragically took his personal life after engaged on a Channel 4 true crime sequence final month, has stated the TV producer’s “life is now a legacy.”
In an emotional assertion penned by Balson’s widow Yumeno Niimura, she paid tribute to a “devoted, loyal and hardworking” husband, who was “my greatest pal and the love of my life it took me 32 years to search out.”
“John’s life is now a legacy,” she stated. “My love for him won’t ever die and can proceed with me endlessly. I can’t ‘transfer on’ from my love for John, and I by no means will. Love is the one factor that by no means dies.”
Niimura stated there was an “outpouring of affection and help” from Balson’s shut family and friends since he died. She paid tribute to his dad and mom, who’ve “chosen to proceed to like me, my daughter, and our unborn child as an extension of their love for his or her son.”
Balson took his personal life on Might 17, a month after he stopped engaged on Channel 4’s Season 3 citing excessive ache and dizziness, which he was finally informed by medical professionals was possible vestibular migraine dysfunction. Deadline revealed earlier immediately that Channel 4 has instructed a regulation agency to look at the circumstances surrounding the 40-year-old’s dying. The present’s producer, Alaska TV, has stated employees welfare is handled with “paramount significance.”
“A failure of the trade”
Niimura’s assertion took purpose on the TV trade for the way in which during which it treats freelancers and the mechanisms by which it engages them, and stated she “hopes nobody else experiences what we went via” earlier this 12 months.
“The lack of John Balson is not only his life; it’s a failure of the trade,” she stated. “The trade can discover a substitute the following day, however there’ll by no means be one other John Balson.”
Niimura added that Balson had informed her that small manufacturing firms have “unrealistically low budgets,” and “usually drive further work and unrealistic assignments on freelancers like him.”
She stated her husband was “genuinely excited” when he landed the Within the Footsteps of Killers producer job and “we have been so proud as he was one in all two folks chosen from over 100 candidates.”
However issues began deteriorating when he was required to commute to an workplace two hours away thrice per week, she added. Balson later informed her he had acquired threats from somebody related to an individual he was researching and had been blamed by the manufacturing for a household declining to participate, earlier than he stopped working all collectively a number of weeks previous to his dying. Alaska has not addressed these allegations immediately, citing Channel 4’s ongoing investigation.
Niimura stated Balson believed “stress” at work was one of many causes behind the “excruciating ache” he skilled within the weeks main as much as his dying.
“It’s inevitable that he took on a large quantity of strain,” she added. “The saddest and cruellest a part of life is when the one that gave you the very best reminiscences turns into a reminiscence. My three-year-old daughter won’t ever bear in mind the cherished moments she had with him.”
An inquest into Balson’s dying received’t happen for months and charities warn that no single issue needs to be attributed to the reasoning behind somebody taking their very own life. In line with his current medical historical past, which Deadline has seen, the skilled producer and journalist, whose previous credit included Netflix’s When Lacking Turns To Homicide and CBS Actuality’s Homicide: First On Scene, had struggled over the previous few years working lengthy days in Japan after which usually working late nights within the UK, coping with troublesome subjects and contributors. He didn’t have a historical past of psychological well being points, his household stated.
Alaska stated it provides colleagues entry to “help assets.” Its assertion added: “It was with nice unhappiness that we realized of John’s passing – a particularly gifted and considerate Director, he might be massively missed by us all. The wellbeing of our all employees is of paramount significance, and while we’re unable to remark additional given the investigation with Channel 4, our ideas and love are with John’s household and associates at this very troublesome time”.
A gofundme web page has been arrange for Balson’s household and donations will be made right here.
Suicide is preventable and help will be discovered by way of the Samaritans, Nationwide Suicide Prevention Helpline and different organizations. The Movie and TV Charity’s Assist Line is open 24 hours a day and is on the market to everybody working within the trade, whether or not freelance or worker. It offers in-the-moment assist from skilled counsellors, in addition to entry to different psychological well being help. Companions and grownup youngsters of individuals working within the trade are additionally in a position to entry assist. Name 0800 054 0000 or go to www.filmtvcharity.org.uk to start out a Dwell Chat.
Within the U.S., a listing of helplines will be discovered right here and knowledge on suicide prevention from the Nationwide Institute of Psychological Well being will be discovered right here.