‘Celebrity Rehab’ star Joey Kovar found dead

Reality player Joey Kovar, who appeared on “Real World: Hollywood” and later “Celebrity Rehab,” was found dead on Friday.

The 29-year-old, whose full name is Joseph E. Kovar, was discovered at a friend’s home near Chicago, TMZ first reported. Chicago-Ridge Police confirmed the death to Show Tracker.

No foul play is suspected and police are conducting a death investigation. He was transported to Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.

Kovar had battled drug abuse, and during his 2008 stint on “Real World,” he entered rehab — cameras showed his castmates visiting him and his eventual return to the house, where he would struggle to remain sober.

But his battle with addition would haunt him, and Kovar went on to appear in the third season of “Celebrity Rehab” on VH1 in 2010. He had been abusing “alcohol, cocaine, ecstasy, meth, and, as part of his bodybuilding, steroids since he was a teenager,” according to the show’s website.

MTV released the following statement: “MTV is deeply saddened to learn that Joey Kovar of ‘The Real World: Hollywood’ has passed away. We offer our sympathies to Joey’s loved ones, friends and fans.”

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Follow Yvonne Villarreal on Twitter: @villarrealy