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Grant Imahara, ‘Mythbusters’ Host, Dies at 49

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Grant Imahara, an electrical engineer and former host on the Discovery Channel show “Mythbusters” has died at 49, a spokesperson for Discovery has confirmed to Variety.

“We are heartbroken to hear this sad news about Grant. He was an important part of our Discovery family and a really wonderful man. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family,” the Discovery spokesperson said in a statement.

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No other details about Imahara’s death were provided.

Imahara co-hosted more than 200 episodes of “Mythbusters,” beginning with season 3 in 2005 through 2014. He joined the show after an invitation from host Jamie Hyneman and was a part of the Build Team with Kari Byron and Tory Belleci. He replaced welder Scottie Chapman. Imahara was best known for making the robots and other electronics needed for the experiments on the hit show.

Fellow “Mythbusters” host Adam Savage paid tribute to Imahara on Twitter.

“I’m at a loss. No words. I’ve been part of two big families with Grant Imahara over the last 22 years. Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle PERSON. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend,” Savage wrote.

Imahara went on to host “White Rabbit Project” on Netflix with Byron and Belleci, in which the team investigated topics like jailbreaks, superpower technology, heists, and World War II weapons through scientific experiments and builds. The show ran for one season in 2016 and was not renewed.

Before making his way onto TV, Imahara worked for Lucasfilm’s THX division and later joined Industrial Light and Magic. He worked there for nine years and contributed to movies like the three “Star Wars” prequels, “Jurassic Park,” “The Matrix Reloaded,” “The Matrix Revolutions,” “Galaxy Quest” and “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.”

He also appeared on “Drunk History,” “Battlebots,” “Sharknado 3,” the web series “Star Trek Continues” and the Marvel animated series “Avengers Assemble.”

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