Michael John Roberts, host and director of series such as Comedy Central’s TripTank and Netflix BoJack Riderdied on November 11 of glioblastoma in Los Angeles. He was 48 years old.
His death was announced by his family, including his wife, A life to live And Gossip Girl actress Bree Williamson. The announcement said Roberts died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family.
“With heavy hearts, we share the passing of Michael John Roberts,” the announcement read. “Michael saw the world a little differently. A gifted artist with extraordinary talent, he could find something worth exploring in what others might overlook. His creativity was not limited to what he put on paper; it shaped the way he thought, questioned, and understood the world around him.”
Born on December 20, 1977, in Toronto, where he grew up, Roberts got his start as a host in the late 1990s and early 2000s on children’s series such as the animated series Angela Anaconda and the animation-live-action hybrid Clogs, both produced by Canadian company Decode Entertainment. The latter was co-created and co-produced by The Jim Henson Company.
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Although he started out in children’s television, Roberts would become best known for his work on adult-oriented animated comedy. He co-created and directed the Comedy Central sketch comedy series from 2014 to 2016. TripTankwhich featured voice work from Bob Odenkirk, Larry David, Niecy Nash, Zach Galifianakis and others, and he animated the 2015 opening sequence of BoJack Rider. He would direct two episodes of this Netflix series, which ended in 2020.
He then directed episodes, among others, of the Bill Burr series. F is for family, the TBS series Final Space, MrBeast Lab, the Apple TV series 2023 Strange planet and, most recently, a 2026 episode of Masters of the Universe: Tales of Eternia. As a producer, his credits included the 2018 John Cena-Kat Dennings YouTube series Red. Dallas and Robo, the 2024 series Hot Wheels Let’s Race and a 2026 television special of the Hot Wheels franchise.
In addition to his wife, who played the popular character Jessica Buchanan in A life to live from 2002 to 2012, Roberts is survived by his son McGreggor; sister Jane Roberts; niece Gwen; nephew Vaughan; and his cousin Hrothgar Cashmore, whom he considered a brother.
“We were supposed to have more time,” his family wrote. “No more conversations over a good cup of coffee. No more lively debates on topics both profound and wonderfully trivial. More laughter, more stories, more music and more ordinary moments that will one day become extraordinary memories.
“Although his illness came on suddenly and the time that followed was heartbreakingly brief, it cannot define the man he was. His life is best remembered through what he created, the conversations he inspired, the friendships he nurtured, and the love he gave so freely to those close to him.”
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