Li Yong passes away after prolonged battle with cancer

Veteran Chinese television host, Li Yong was a familiar face to Chinese television viewers as a frequent host of widely watched shows like the annual Spring Galas.

On Monday (October 29), the 50-year-old's wife, Chinese producer Ha Wen updated her Weibo page with a somber post, announcing her husband’s passing.

“In America, after 17 months of cancer treatment, on October 25 2018, at 5:20AM, (I) lost my love forever,” she wrote.

Condolences soon poured in for the 50-year-old from numerous celebrities, including Zhang Ziyi, Feng Xiaogang, Li Xiao Lu, He Jiong, Jimmy Lin, Jiang Xin, Sun Qian and more.

The Weibo account of the couple’s only child, a 16-year-old daughter nicknamed “Dou Dou” was also found by netizens, who discovered that she had posted a selfie of herself on October 23.

Displeased, a netizen then proceeded to chastise her for “having the mood to take selfies when your dad is dying”. The attacks caused Dou Dou to delete all the posts on her account, only leaving up one with her parents.

Chinese actress Sun Qian, who has always been close to Li Yong also revealed in an interview that Li Yong and Ha Wen did not want their friends to worry, and had decided to keep Li Yong’s condition private. “In the end, Yong ge and Teacher Ha Wen left their optimistic outlook and joy for their friends and the public”.

She also shared that the news was “sudden" and that everyone needed some time for the news to sink in. The actress also revealed that she will be flying over to America at the end of the year with her husband, to visit Ha Wen.

Photos: PBE Media