Wife of Michael Mosley pays tribute to 'wonderful' husband
Tributes have poured in for TV doctor Michael Mosley after his body was found on the Greek island of Symi Olivia Guthrie reports
Dr Michael Mosley's wife paid tribute to her "wonderful" husband after Greek officials said they found a body in their search for the TV doctor and columnist.
The body and an umbrella were discovered in a rocky area beside Agia Marina on the Greek island of Symi on Sunday morning after an extensive search operation led by emergency workers.
The 67-year-old TV personality was last seen by his wife friends at Agios Nikolaos beach on Wednesday, before going for a walk to the centre of the island.
In a statement, his wife Clare Bailey Mosley wrote: “I don’t know quite where to begin with this.
“It’s devastating to have lost Michael, my wonderful, funny, kind and brilliant husband. We had an incredibly lucky life together. We loved each other very much and were so happy together.
“I am incredibly proud of our children, their resilience and support over the past days."
She went on to say that the family has been "hugely comforted by the outpouring of love from people from around the world."
“We’re taking comfort in the fact that he so very nearly made it. He did an incredible climb, took the wrong route and collapsed where he couldn’t be easily seen by the extensive search team.
“Michael was an adventurous man, it’s part of what made him so special."
Clare also thanked officials and all the people "who hadn’t even heard of Michael" who "worked from dawn till dusk unasked."
“We’re also very grateful to the press who have dealt with us with great respect.
“I feel so lucky to have our children and my amazing friends. Most of all, I feel so lucky to have had this life with Michael."
The body, which is yet to be formally identified, was discovered beneath a fence that runs around a bar on Agia Marina beach, which is surrounded by hilly, rocky terrain that runs down to the sea.
Agia Marina bar manager Ilias Tsavaris, 38, first saw the body alongside journalists after the island’s mayor “saw something” by the fence of the bar and alerted staff.
He said: “They saw it with the boat. The mayor came and saw something so that is when they called me and said ‘Hey they saw something go and check there’.
“They called me, they said ‘You know what we saw something from far away, can you go and check’ so I went there.
“So when I walked up I saw something like a body to make sure. You don’t see a dead body everyday, it is not a warzone, it’s summer you are supposed to have fun and swimming.
“He came from Pedi OK, and he walked not through the restaurant. If he had walked through there (the bar) we would have checked the cameras.
The discovery comes after a four-day search operation for the 67-year-old broadcaster, who first trained as a doctor before moving in to the world of broadcasting.
Emergency workers have been trying to locate Mosley ever since he disappeared during a walk to the centre of the island at about 1.30pm Greek time (11.30am BST) on Wednesday.
Many questioned how anyone could survive in the heat that topped 40C on the day Mosley disappeared.
Papakaloudoukas said the area where Mosley is believed to have travelled through is “difficult to pass” and is “only rocks”.
Mosley is credited with popularising the 5:2 diet, a form of intermittent fasting, through his book The Fast Diet.
This Morning said staff at the ITV programme were “heartbroken” to learn that Mosley, a regular contributor, had died.
In a post on X, the show added: “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.”
The BBC, which worked with Mosley on a number of programmes, said it was "deeply saddened" by the news of his death as it paid tribute to a "brilliant science broadcaster and programme maker".
Charlotte Moore, the BBC's chief content officer, said: "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.”
He has also made a number of series for Channel 4, including one which looked at why the UK is losing its battle with obesity after 30 years of government schemes trying to tackle the issue.
Other tributes also poured in, including from Labour MP Tom Watson, who tweeted: "It is hard to describe how upset I am by this news. Through courageous, science-based journalism, Michael Mosely has helped thousands of people get well and healthy.
"I am one of them. He was a hero to me. He will be deeply missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family."
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver also posted on Instagram: "Rest in peace Michael Mosley... 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 presenters and often changed the conversation around many public healthy issues for the better."
Michael Mosley’s co-presenter on Trust Me, I’m A Doctor has described him as a “national treasure” and a “hugely talented” many.
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.”
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