Tributes paid to 'hero' Dr Michael Mosley after body found

Friends and colleagues of Dr Michael Mosley have paid tribute to him after a body was found in the search for the missing TV and radio personality on Sunday morning. The body, which has not yet been formally identified, was discovered by a search team including the mayor of Greek island Symi.

The body, with an umbrella close by, was discovered in a rocky area beside Agia Marina on Symi on Sunday after an extensive search operation led by emergency workers, around a 30-minute walk from the village of Pedi, where Dr Mosley was last seen. It was discovered beneath a fence that runs around a bar on Agia Marina beach, which is surrounded by hilly, rocky terrain. Police arrived at Agia Marina around 20 minutes after the discovery, about 90 metres from the coastline.

On Saturday, an emergency helicopter circled the wider Pedi area for several hours and hovered over the spot where the body was found. The search effort has been widespread, operating in dangerous conditions and high temperatures, and has included police, firefighters with drones, Greek Red Cross workers, divers, a search dog and a helicopter.

Dr Mosley, known for popularising the 5:2 diet and for his appearances on The One Show and This Morning, was on holiday when he vanished. Celebrity chef and healthy eating campaigner Jamie Oliver praised the work Dr Mosley had done for public health with his broadcasting and research.

Oliver wrote on Instagram: "What a wonderfully sweet, kind and gentle man he was. He did such a lot of good for public health with his TV shows and research.

"He was a curious investigator, producer and presenter and often changed the conversation around many public health issues for the better. He will be sadly missed... love and thoughts to Claire and all of his family."

Tom Watson, the former deputy leader of the Labour Party, described Dr Mosley as a "hero".

"It's hard to describe how upset I am by this news," Mr Watson said posting on Twitter, formerly X. "Through courageous, science-based journalism, Michael Mosley has helped thousands of people get well and healthy. I'm one of them.

"He was a hero to me. He will be deeply missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family."

Mr Watson said in an interview after losing around 7st that Mosley's The Fast Diet book was part of his weight-loss regime.

Academic and broadcaster Alice Roberts shared three pictures on social media with Michael Mosley, with whom she first worked on her 2009 TV series Human Journey.

Prof Roberts wrote: "The fragility of life is so shocking. I've known Michael Mosley for many years - as a TV producer specialising in science and medicine. He was the executive producer of my 2009 series Human Journey.

"When he started presenting as well as producing, we made several science programmes together. And we met up at Hay Festival just 2 weeks ago. I can't believe he's gone. My thoughts are with his bereaved family."

Author, TV writer and former doctor Adam Kay said it was "desperately sad", adding: "My thoughts with his family - may his memory be a blessing."

Dr Mosley's co-presenter on Trust Me, I'm A Doctor described him as a "national treasure" and a "hugely talented" man. Speaking to BBC News, Dr Saleyha Ahsan said: "Michael's a national treasure and he's so personable."

She recalled how Dr Mosley put her "to ease" while she was doing an on-camera audition for the BBC series which looked at health care in Britain.

Dr Ahsan said: "I can now appreciate that's a one-off, not everyone is able to make other people feel so at ease with lights and cameras in front of them. But then to forget about all of that and just to focus on the science, on the story, on the message that we're trying to get out, is such a talented man, hugely talented."

She also praised his "passion for explaining science to a wider audience", adding: "Making it accessible to anyone and everyone, not just a niche scientific crowd, but to everyone."

Physicist and TV presenter Brian Cox said Michael Mosley was a "genuinely lovely man" who helped him when he started his TV career. "Tragic news about Michael Mosley," he posted on X, formerly Twitter.

"He was such an important figure both on and off screen in the BBC science unit, and as a mentor to many of us when we started out in science presenting. And, as many of our colleagues have already said on here, he was a genuinely lovely man. So sorry for his family. RIP Michael."

Singer Midge Ure reflected on how far Michael Mosley's work on science and food had spread, writing on X: "So sad about Michael Mosley. It's amazing how one 'cog in the machine'.... one life in a world of billions can have an impact on others. I never met him, but we all knew him."

Anna Bond, managing director of Octopus Publishing Group which has published books by Michael Mosley and Dr Clare Bailey Mosley, said: "We are devastated by the news of Dr Michael Mosley's tragic death. Our hearts and thoughts are with his wife, Dr Clare Bailey, and their family.

"From his ground-breaking book, The Fast Diet, in 2013 to his most recent life-changing book Just One Thing in 2022, it has been a joy, a pleasure and a privilege to work closely with him on his bestselling books that have changed millions of people's lives for the better.

"A talented TV presenter and producer, he dedicated his time to educating and empowering millions across the world to live longer, healthier lives and his powerful legacy is a gift that will live on as viewers, listeners and readers continue to enjoy a better quality of life via his books and his journalism, TV programmes, the Fast 800 community, and his BBC podcast, Just One Thing. A brilliant, warm, funny and kind man, Michael will be so greatly missed."

The BBC's chief content officer Charlotte Moore said Dr Michael Mosley will be "hugely missed" by those who worked with him at the broadcaster after his death was confirmed.

In a statement, she said: "We are deeply saddened about the news of Dr Michael Mosley and our thoughts go out to his family and friends at this difficult time. Michael worked closely with BBC Radio 4 and the BBC Studios Science Unit for many years on groundbreaking science and health programmes from Medical Mavericks, Eat Fast Live Longer, Inside Michael Mosley and The Young Ones, to Trust Me, I'm a Doctor.

"He also made regular appearances on Morning Live and The One Show, and of course presented his own hugely popular and successful BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds podcast Just One Thing. He was a brilliant science broadcaster and programme maker, able to make the most complex subjects simple, but he was also passionate about engaging and entertaining audiences, inspiring us all to live a healthier, fuller life. His entertaining and accessible style was enjoyed by audiences around the world and he will be hugely missed by many people not least those fortunate enough to have worked with him at the BBC."

Ted Verity, editor of Mail Newspapers, said: "Everyone at the Mail is absolutely devastated to hear of the death of Dr Michael Mosley. Michael wasn't just a unique and unmissable columnist. He was part of the Mail family.

"Since he first wrote for us in 2011, we have published hundreds of his weekly columns and serialised many of his best-selling books - from the ground-breaking Fast Diets to others on gut health and sleep. It's no exaggeration to say that over the years Michael's insights - especially his revelation that you can reverse type two diabetes - will have extended, and even saved, the lives of countless readers.

"In person, whether warning of the perils of skimmed milk or enthusing about his latest madcap experiment on his own body, Michael was as electrifying as he was in print and on TV. What shone through was his irrepressible curiosity - he was always hungry to learn about the very latest, cutting-edge science and medicine and then explain it to readers in a way that was both engaging and comprehensible to a mainstream audience.

"Michael was also extremely kind, not hesitating to be one of the first to offer his home as sanctuary to a Ukrainian family. And he always spoke with enormous love and warmth of his wife Clare, his co-author on many projects, and four children Alexander, Jack, Daniel and Katherine. Our hearts go out to them all."

This Morning posted on social media that staff at the ITV programme were "heartbroken" to learn that Michael Mosley, a regular contributor, had died. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the show said: "We're all heartbroken to hear that Michael Mosley has died at the age of 67.

"His wife Clare has paid tribute to her 'wonderful, funny, kind and brilliant husband'. Everyone at This Morning is thinking of Clare, their four children and the rest of Michael's family and friends at this extremely sad time."