Brit TV Star's Body Was in Rail Station 6 Days

Cops investigate why it took so long to discover the apparent suicide

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 15, 2008 6:34 AM CDT

(Newser) – A British TV celebrity's body was left hanging in London's Paddington station for six days, the London Times reports, in an apparent suicide. Mark Speight, 42, had been missing for a week and police are probing why it took so long for his body to be discovered. Speight was said to have been devastated by his fiancee's drug-related death earlier this year.

She had been found dead in a bathtub in the apartment the couple shared, scalded and with high levels of cocaine in her system. Speight was initially charged with murder and supplying drugs, but was cleared. He was last spotted wandering north London apparently "distracted and deep in thought," police said.

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

Mark Speight and Natasha Collins. "She was his soulmate and now life has died for him," Collins' mother said of Speight, found hanged at London's Paddington station. (klapaucius765)

Mark Speight appears on Children's BBC program sMart. (charlytheo2007)

A British children's TV presenter was found hanged in a London train station after having been missing for 6 days. (lilellouise)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

CBBC Presenter Mark Speight found dead - BBC News 24 (Cara63j)

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

No Sex (After 9), Please—We're the BBC

Survey prompts British channel to cut back on racy content, swearing

(NEWSER) - Responding to viewers’ concerns, the BBC will no longer give free rein to potentially offensive material after 9pm, the Telegraph reports. A network survey of 2,700 people age 11 and up found that its audience, especially older viewers, is unhappy with the content. Now, foul language may be subject to “bleeping out” after 9, and shows throughout the day will have content warnings. More»

Stalled Career, Ageism Drove Ex- SNL Writer to Suicide

Wayne's World writer Joe Bodolai found dead in Hollywood hotel room

(NEWSER) - Joe Bodolai's long career in show business came to a sad end in a Hollywood hotel room. The 63-year-old comedy writer and TV producer was found dead the day after Christmas, having apparently committed suicide by drinking a mixture of antifreeze and Gatorade. Bodolai, who wrote for Saturday Night Live and co-wrote Wayne's World, left a final blog post in which he said one of his biggest regrets was his inability to conquer his alcoholism. More»

Teacher So Drunk, Principal Feared Stroke

UK kindergarten teacher downs wine bottle at lunch

(NEWSER) - It’s Bad Teacher come true: A kindergarten teacher in London got so smashed during lunch that her coworkers called an ambulance. Her principal thought the stumbling 51-year-old, who had tried to teach after drinking, was suffering a stroke; paramedics soon discovered the truth. A teachers’ council has found her guilty of “unacceptable professional conduct,” the Daily Mail reports. More»

Ryanair Crew Fixes Pilot's Busted Window With ... Tape

Flight forced to turn around when it, shockers, comes loose

(NEWSER) - Ryanair crew members used tape to fix a pilot’s window before takeoff—only to turn around when the tape came loose 20 minutes into the flight, the Sun reports. “We were kept in the dark, and were terrified. I could see guys taping in the windscreen with what looked like duct tape or gaffer tape,” said a passenger on the London to Latvia flight. In the air, “the pilot said due to damage on the windscreen, we were going to have to turn back.” More»

London Ditches Carbon Offsets for 2012 Olympics

Plan was part of bid to host games

(NEWSER) - As part of London’s bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics, organizers offered a plan to keep the Games green—but they’ve changed their minds. The committee will “no longer pursue formal offsetting procedures,” it said, dropping its pledge to balance carbon emissions from the Games with clean-energy investments in developing countries. Such offsetting would have “diverted” attention from Britain, says the Games’ sustainability chief. The decision also saves the organizing committee up to $4.4 million, Bloomberg reports. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Brit TV Star's Body Was in Rail Station 6 Days