Reality TV star dies in car crash while filming advert in Italy

A professional driver and reality TV star has reportedly died in a horror car crash while filming in Italy. According to reports, Manoel Machinek was involved in the fatal accident after veering off the road in a Porsche he was driving.

It was said that the collision involving the 37-year-old occurred at around 11am in the Gignese area, north of Milan, during the filming of an advert on July 30. Machinek, a car enthusiast and model, was also known for having previously appeared on reality show Forsthaus Rampensau.

As per HDMotori, he had 'lost control of the car' before the major smash, which saw firefighters, paramedics and police rush to the scene. It was said that he died on impact and had to be cut free from the wreckage.

Pictures shared in foreign media showed the aftermath, with the blue car seen severely crushed. The car, a Porsche 993 RS, is said to have overturned near a bend on Mottarone Mountain before going off the road and into the trees before crashing.

It was reported that the vehicle had been hired for filming what is thought to have been a commercial. Further details surrounding the crash have not been publicly confirmed.

Foreign media also reported that the film shoot had been organised by a Milan-based production company, but that enquiries are ongoing to decipher whether the road closure in place was approved. Filming had also been scheduled to continue later that afternoon near Lake Maggiore, but this was suspended following the incident.

Partner pays tribute after Manoel 'died doing something he loved'

Mano, who was a German model, was best known for appearing on Austrian reality show Forsthaus Rampensau, which aired on ATV, alongside his partner Maria Maksimovic in 2022. He also shared his love of cars and motoring events on his social media.

His partner, Maria Maksimovic who he would regularly model wedding shoots with has shared numerous public tributes on Instagram following his death. In her own words, she wrote: "My beloved Mano has died in a tragic car accident – while doing something he loved more than almost anything else in this world: driving a car.

“He was at the wheel of a Porsche, a car that meant so much more to him than just a vehicle. Everyone who knew Mano knew how much he loved cars, the road and the feeling of freedom behind the wheel.

“It breaks my heart that exactly what he loved so much became the moment I had to say goodbye to him.”

Friends and other people who worked with the model also expressed shock as they paid tribute on social media. BC Photography paid tribute online, and penned: "Mano was a truly kind soul. He was funny, joyful, professional, loving, generous, and always willing to help others.

"Being around him felt easy and genuine. Talking with him, working alongside him, sharing jokes, and simply spending time together was a gift.

"I still cannot find the right words to describe the shock and the pain of losing someone who had such a profound impact in such a short time. If Mano could leave such a mark on me after only 72 hours, I can only begin to imagine the depth of the loss felt by his forever beloved partner, Maria, and by all his family and friends who had the privilege of knowing and loving him for many years."

Meanwhile professional race car driver Ahmed Scotland said he was in 'great pain' to 'say goodbye to another loved one'. Sharing a moving Instagram clip, he penned: "My friend, my brother, a truly good man and one of the most passionate gearheads I've ever known.

"This is our passion and our profession, we take risks with our job driving these machines on the limit. It's what makes us live life and love so fiercely. Rest in peace my brother, gonna really miss you."