Major Reality TV Figure Died in December, Agency Reveals: David St. John Was 56

David St. John, a popular TV producer, died December 19 of pancreatic cancer. He was an executive producer on series like America’s Next Top Model.

His death was only announced late last month, on February 20, by his agency UTA. He was 56.

St. John was most notably an executive producer on TLC’s I Am Jazz for the first five years of its run. The series followed transgender teenager Jazz Jennings throughout her high school years. It won a GLAAD Media Award in 2016.

In 2021, he produced The Ts Madison Experience, a reality series about the life and career of the Black and transgender talk show host Ts Madison. His final project was TLC’s Jay & Pamela, which follows a couple who were both born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta.

He launched his career as an assistant on MTV, eventually moving up to producer on the 2002 series Taildaters. In 2007, he became a supervising producer on America’s Next Top Model and went on to co-exec produce over 100 episodes of the popular Tyra Banks-hosted series.

The Jennings family, who starred in I Am Jazz, released a statement after St. John’s death to Deadline.

“David was more than just the executive producer of I Am Jazz—he was family, and we loved him deeply,” they said. “In our most challenging moments, he lifted our spirits with his warmth, reassured us that everything would be okay, and gave us the strength to share our family’s journey. His kindness, infectious laughter, and unwavering belief in our story will forever be woven into the heart and legacy of I Am Jazz and remain a cherished part of our lives.”

St. John is survived by his husband, two sisters, and his mother.