With the news of Luke Perry's tragic death, Variety has revealed that production Riverdale has been suspended for the day.
The reason for the shut down is to allow the cast and crew time to grieve the loss of Perry who has been with the show since it debuted in 2017.
“We are deeply saddened to learn today about the passing of Luke Perry,” reads a statement from executive producers Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, and Jon Goldwater.
Related: Luke Perry, Beloved Star of Riverdale Dies at 52
“A beloved member of the Riverdale, Warner Bros., and CW family, Luke was everything you would hope he would be: an incredibly caring, consummate professional with a giant heart, and a true friend to all."
"A father figure and mentor to the show’s young cast, Luke was incredibly generous, and he infused the set with love and kindness. Our thoughts are with Luke’s family during this most difficult time.”
Perry's death comes following reports that he suffered a massive stroke on February 27.
He died surrounded by fiancee Wendy Madison Bauer, ex-wife Minnie Sharp, and children Jack and Sophie, among other family members and friends.
Related: Beverly Hills, 90210 Revival Ordered at Fox
The news of the stroke broke the same day Fox announced Beverly Hills, 90210 would be back with a six-episode summer run, and that original stars Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Jason Priestly, Brian Austin Green, Tori Spelling, and Gabrielle Carteris would be staging comebacks.
Spelling previously confirmed that Perry would appear in as many episodes as he could given his series regular commitment to Riverdale.
It's unclear at this stage how the buzzy CW drama plans to address Perry's death. A new episode is slated to air on Wednesday at 8/7c, but the network will reveal plans in due course.
Perry played Fred Andrews, the father of Archie on the hit series.
We extend our thoughts and prayers to Perry's friends and family during this difficult time.
