The Stage

Tributes paid to TV presenter Mark Speight

Published Monday 14 April 2008 at 16:10 by Matthew Hemley

Tributes have been paid to children’s television presenter Mark Speight, whose body was discovered yesterday at Paddington railway station in London.

The presenter, 42, disappeared last week following a post-mortem into the death of his fiancee Natasha Collins, 31, who was found dead in the bath three months ago with 60% burns after taking cocaine and sleeping tablets.

British Transport Police confirmed a body had been found yesterday in a disused part of the station, which they believed to be Speight’s.

In a statement, Speight’s father, Oliver, paid “sincere thanks to the BBC, friends and colleagues together with all the children and families who have supported Mark throughout his career, and in particular during these recent difficult times”.

He added: “Mark was a wonderful son and brother to his family and he will be very sadly missed.”

Speight’s agent, Jan Kennedy at Billy Marsh Associates, said: “We are absolutely devastated at the tragic news of the loss of Mark and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family as well as the family of his beloved fiancee, Natasha, whose equally tragic death had affected him so inconsolably. Mark was blessed with a remarkable personality, great artistic talents and the wonderful warm ability to communicate those skills with people, especially children of all ages.”