‘Barnwood Builders’: A Cast Member’s Departure Sparked a Fan Conspiracy Theory
The internet has become the perfect breeding ground for conspiracy theories. It’s become easier than ever to jump on the bandwagon by retweeting a hashtag or liking a post. But not all conspiracy theories are founded. A recent rumor about DIY channel hit Barnwood Builders is apparently untrue, despite the fact that it was popular on social media. The rumor centered on the sudden disappearance of Brian Buckner from the show after just a few seasons. His hilarious jokes made him a fan favorite, so his absence on the show loomed largely.
‘Barnwood Builders’ is like ‘Extreme Home Makeovers’ but for barns
The show first aired on the DIY Network. It’s currently in its ninth season, and it’s syndicated on multiple Discovery family networks, including the Discovery Channel itself. The show is a lot like your typical home makeover show. The catch is the starting material. Instead of renovating an old, out of date house, the Barnwood Builder team renovates old barns.
The team is made up of a bunch of self-described hillbillies from West Virginia, according to Distractify. The state is ripe with old barns and forgotten structures that have great potential. Mark Bowe, the owner of the Barnwood Living company and star of the show, wants to take the word back. He loves his state, and he’s not ashamed of being called a hillbilly.
“I want to champion West Virginia. I’d like to change the stereotype of the word ‘hillbilly.’ The network wouldn’t let us use it the first season, but then truck drivers would be making deliveries to us and proudly identifying themselves as hillbillies. The network came around. I think it means strong ties to family and friends, a willingness to do hard work, and things like perseverance and fortitude,” Although Bowe is the leader of the crew, everyone’s favorite hillbilly was Buckner.
Fans thought Brian Buckner died after he left the show
Although fans weren’t quite sure how Buckner helped with the renovations, they loved seeing him on the show. Even though Buckner only appeared in the first three seasons, he left quite an impression on fans.
So when he was gone, naturally fans started to wonder where he was. The show didn’t comment on his absence right away, and he’s not on social media. Rumors began circulating that he had died, and fans even found an obituary for a Brian Buckner. When fans started to tweet the cast of the show, they finally got the truth.
Brian Buckner is alive and well
According to the show’s cast, Buckner is alive and well, MSN reports. He no longer lives in the area of West Virginia where the show is recorded, so he can’t participate in the show. There’s some evidence that Buckner may not have liked his new-found notoriety. He’s reportedly living a quiet life, and never took to social media to dispel rumors of his death personally. It could be that being in the public eye just wasn’t for Buckner, despite the fact that he was a fan favorite, and lit up the screen.
The managers of the show’s Twitter account didn’t say that Buckner was off for good, however. They left the door open for Buckner to come back to the show at some point. “Brian is no longer in the area Rick, so he he’s too far away to work with us! We miss him a bundle. Hopefully one day he’ll join us again.” The crew may miss Buckner, and fans miss him too. Fans on Twitter are still talking about him, even though his last appearance on the show was sometime in 2015.
