Pastor turned realty television star Jamie Coots died from a snake bite after becoming famous for his bizarre form of worship, handling snakes.

Kentucky Pastor Coots died Saturday night after he was bitten by one of the snakes he used to worship with in his small Middlesboro church, Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name.

Police Chief Jeff Sharpe told WBIR that Coots was found dead in his home at about 10 p.m. Saturday. Sharpe said Coots went home before emergency workers got to the church. They then went to his house but were not given consent to treat him or transport him to the hospital.

About an hour later officials said they returned to the home, but Coots had died. The pastor's son, Cody Coots also shared that his father had been bitten eight times before but none were ever fatal. To everyone's surprise Saturday was the last service for the Pastor.

Cody told news reporters that he is ready to take over in his father's stead at the church and plans to continue the tradition of snake handling for worship.

Coots starred on the reality show "Snake Salvation" alongside Pastor Andrew Hamblin, an East Tennessee preacher who also handles snakes. They became famous for their unique style of worship, leading their congregation with poisonous snakes in hand.

Another preacher at Coots' church, Cody Winn, told reporters he was right next to Coots when he was bitten at the evening service.

"Jamie went across the floor. He had one of the rattlers in his hand, he came over and he was standing beside me. It was plain view, it just turned its head and bit him in the back of the hand before, within a second," Winn said.

He explained that Coots dropped the snakes, but then picked them back up and continued on. Within minutes, he said Coots headed to the bathroom with his son and Hamblin.

"Andrew said he looked at him and said 'sweet Jesus' and it was over. He didn't die right then, but he just went out and never woke back up," Winn said.

Coots and his famous snake handlers have been in the news before due to another death that occurred in the church back in the 90s. CNN reported that Coots said he believed that a passage in the Bible suggested poisonous snakebites will not harm believers as long as they are anointed by God.
The practice is illegal in most states, but still goes on, primarily in the rural South.