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Leslie Jordan
The late Leslie Jordan is set to appear in tonight’s Season 3 premiere of Celebrity IOU, alongside hosts Drew and Jonathan Scott.
The episode will follow the Will & Grace actor as he surprises his long-time friends, Rosemary and Newell Alexander, with a home makeover.
PEOPLE reports that Jordan speaks on their close friendship in the episode, saying, “They’ve just always been there for me. I had some struggles with alcohol, a little drug use. I’m 25 years clean and sober, but they were instrumental in that too because they never judged me.” Jordan added that the secret to happiness is “to do for others.”
Reflecting on Jordan’s legacy, Jonathan told PEOPLE, “I don’t know how many times he’d be on set and we’d be filming and then on a break I would walk over and he was just sitting down chatting with somebody from the crew or from construction and sharing stories, making them laugh, but also sharing vulnerabilities and talking about some of the stuff that he’d gone through.” He also said the actor was “easy to be around” and called him a “remarkable human being.”
Drew agreed, adding, “He creates community for people, lets them know that there’s somebody here for you and there’s somebody that’s been through something similar.”
In the synopsis for the episode, HGTV writes, “When he moved to LA from Tennessee in the 1980s to pursue acting, Leslie met fellow actors Newell and Rosemary who helped him get into theater and eventually became more like family. Leslie says the couple has always been there for him especially through some hard personal struggles. Although he admits to having no construction experience, Leslie is ready to swing sledgehammers alongside Drew and Jonathan Scott to thank Newell and Rosemary with a striking renovation of their charming but dated ranch-style home.” The season will continue with guest appearances by Drew Barrymore, Terry Crews, Kate Hudson, and Idina Menzel.
Jordan tragically passed away on October 24 due to a fatal car crash in Hollywood. While an official autopsy report has not yet been released, many speculate that the actor had a “medical emergency” while behind the wheel, causing him to crash his vehicle. The actor’s rep and family members have been sharing memories and updates regarding Jordan on his Instagram account, one of which announced the posthumous release of a song (performed by Jordan) called “Let It Slide”.
Along with various social media tributes, Jordan received special recognition from Fox. On October 28, during an episode of Call Me Kat, which Jordan starred in since its debut in 2021, the network aired a montage of Jordan’s appearances in a variety of television shows including The Masked Singer, Fantasy Island, The Cool Kids, and Lego Masters.
Celebrity IOU Season 3 premieres November 14 at 9 PM on HGTV and is available to stream on discovery+.
