Inquest into Mark Speight's death

May 20 2008

An inquest is due to be held into the death of television presenter Mark Speight, from Wolverhampton.

Police spent six days searching for the former BBC children's favourite after he was reported missing last month. The 42-year-old was found hanged in a building next to Paddington railway station in London on April 13.

Mr Speight had been left reeling by the death of his fiancee, Natasha Collins, 31, at the flat they shared in St John's Wood, north west London, in January.

He was initially arrested in connection with her death and over drugs allegations but no charges were brought.

Following Miss Collins's death, Mr Speight moved in with her mother Carmen, who later told police he had disappeared.

An earlier hearing at Westminster Coroner's Court heard Mr Speight left two suicide notes - one found on the presenter's body and another in a flat.

Inner West London Coroner Dr Paul Knapman said there appeared to have been a "double tragedy".

An inquest into Miss Collins's death heard she took cocaine and sleeping tablets before getting into a scalding hot bath on January 3. At his funeral in Wolverhampton last month, Mr Speight's father Oliver described him as a Pied Piper figure who took youngsters on a "magical mystery tour" of art.