Singer Naomi Judd, part of the Grammy-winning duo The Judds and mother of Wynonna and Ashley Judd passed away on Saturday at the age of 76.
Her daughters announced her death in a statement provided to The Associated Press. “Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness,” the statement said. “We are shattered. We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public. We are in unknown territory.”
The fate of the long-awaited Fox anthology series that focused on The Judds is currently unknown after her tragic passing.
Fate Of Naomi Judd’s ‘Icon’ Series Has Yet To Be Announced
According to Deadline, The Judd drama series “Icon” was still waiting for a pick-up decision by Fox network when she passed away. The anthology series was supposed to profile some of the world’s biggest music legends, and Naomi and her daughter, Wynonna, known collectively as The Judds, were supposed to be the first subjects of the Fox series.
The project was first announced in August 2020. Naomi and Wynonna Judd were attached as executive producers for the first season, which was supposed to focus on their story. Producer Gail Berman and top country music manager Jason Owen were also attached to the project. “The Morning Show” executive producer Adam Milch was named as writer, executive producer, and showrunner.
The show, which got a script-to-series approach, was supposed to share the stories and experiences of The Judds, while also taking part in a series of conversations with Milch. Sources told the outlet that Naomi was very involved in the process of creating their story.
Multiple scripts have reportedly been written and Fox execs have reportedly liked what they’ve seen about the project so far. However, a pick-up decision was not expected until next month, when the broadcast networks release their fall lineups to advertisers. It is unclear if the show will still be picked up now that Naomi has passed away.
Fox Releases Statement Mourning Her Loss
Fox released a statement over the weekend, expressing condolences to her fans, friends, and family for her tragic passing.
“We are deeply saddened about the tragic loss of Naomi Judd,” Fox said in a statement. “A true giant and beloved by all, her work in music, film, and television will forever entertain and inspire millions of people across the globe. Our thoughts are with the entire Judd family, their friends, loved ones, and loyal fans.”
The show, “Icon” was supposed to tell the story of country music’s first mother and daughter duo, known as The Judds. They dominated the country music industry in the 1980s and 1990s and won countless awards. Together, they sold more than 20 million albums and had fourteen number one hit songs. In 1991, they stopped performing when Naomi was diagnosed with Hepatitis C and Wynonna began a solo career.
The two occasionally reunited for special tours, the most recent of which was supposed to take place in 2010. The two were supposed to take part in a final tour this fall. The show was supposed to spotlight the drama that took place behind the scenes and tell their story through the music and songs that shaped their career.
Naomi had been very vocal about her struggles with depression, at one point admitting that she had seriously considered taking her own life at a bridge near her farm in her 2016 memoir.
