Fatal error when setting value for TableView Cell

I'm getting this error when trying to pass values to text labels

Fatal error: Unexpectedly found nil while implicitly unwrapping an Optional value:

After readying SO threads about this I've tried the following and no luck:

1. printed out each of the values from photo and the value was correct and not nil
2. deleted and reconnected the Outlets
3. created a dummy value of username1Label.text = "test" and same error

Here's a simplified version of the code:

class EventFeedCell: UITableViewCell {

@IBOutlet weak var username1Label: UILabel!
@IBOutlet weak var date1Label: UILabel!
@IBOutlet weak var photoId1Label: UILabel!

func setPhoto(_ photo:Photo) {

    username1Label.text = photo.byUsername  //I get the fatal error here
    date1Label.text = photo.date
    photoId1Label.text = photo.postId
}}

And the Photo object

class Photo {

var postId = ""
var byId = ""
var byUsername = ""
var date = ""
var url = ""
var eventId = ""

}

cellForRowAt

override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {

    //Get a event feed photo cell
    let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: EventFeedCell.eventFeedPhotoTableCell, for: indexPath) as! EventFeedCell

    //Get the photo for this row
    let photo = photos[indexPath.row]

    //Set the details for the cell
    cell.setPhoto(photo)

    return cell

}

What else can I try? This is an exact copy of another TableView cell that does work (and for that reason I added a 1 in the label names just to be sure they are unique)

As soon as the cell is initilized your labels and other UI components might be nil so you have to set a value only if your UI components (Labels etc ) are initialized otherwise don't set. Simply add ? before you access the text properties. Here is a modified version of your setPhoto(:) method.

func setPhoto(_ photo:Photo) {

    username1Label?.text = photo.byUsername  
    date1Label?.text = photo.date
    photoId1Label?.text = photo.postId
}

One thing to note is if your photoModel properties are optional you have to unwrap them first before you try to access. Below is another vresion of your setPhoto(:) method only if your photoModel has optional properties.

func setPhoto(_ photo:Photo) {
      // Optionally unwrap your photo properties.
     gaurd let byUserName = photo.byUsername,
      let  date = photo.date,
      let postId = photo.postId else {return}

    // Safe to proceed if all your values are set in photoModel
    username1Label?.text = byUserName  
    date1Label?.text = date
    photoId1Label?.text = postId
}