What Ever Happened to Brian From 'Barnwood Builders'?
Published May 10 2021, 8:41 p.m. ET
From the time Brian Buckner first appeared on the Season 1 premiere of Barnwood Builders, he immediately amazed fans with his lovable personality and exceptional sense of humor. But despite his fantastic quips and brilliant jokes, Brian garnered scrutiny for his lackadaisical approach to work, with many criticizing the star for his inability to carry out construction work with the same zeal as Alex Webb or Johnny Jett. Brian eventually left the show after just a few seasons. So, what happened?
No, Brian from 'Barnwood Builders' did not die.
As one of the best-known stars on the show, Brian championed an easy-going, joyful approach to life and work. Unfortunately for fans, he disappeared from the series after just a few seasons. He ultimately wasn't featured on the show after its Season 2 finale.
To add to the confusion, some fans started to circulate rumors about his tragic death in 2020. The obituary fueling this rumor concerns another person with the same name, though. Brian is still very much alive — but he prefers to lead a private life these days.
Brian is aware of the rumors and, in fact, finds them pretty funny. In one interview, he said, laughing, "Social media is so weird. ... [E]verybody keeps sending me these things where I'm dead on YouTube, or they're trying to figure out whether I'm dead. ... I never was told if you quit being on a TV show, you die." Although Brian highlighted that he does have certain medical ailments, he is currently alive and well.
But why did Brian quit 'Barnwood Builders'? He says it came down to anxiety.
According to a tweet posted by the official Barnwood Builders account, Brian moved away from the shooting location of the show. In a response to a fan asking if Brian will ever appear on the show again, the account tweeted, "Brian is no longer in the area Rick, so he [sic] he's too far away to work with us! We miss him a bundle. Hopefully one day he'll join us again."
However, according to Brian, the reason he left was a little different. "Right off the get-go, I wasn't sure about [the show] because of my anxiety ... I'm glad I did it, and I'm glad it's out there ... It didn't come with really any negatives to me except just the anxiety of doing it," he said. While he praised the rest of the cast, he said that his anxiety prevents him from continuing the show with them.
