TRIBUTES continue to pour in for TV and radio presenter Dr Michael Mosley who was found dead near a beach resort on the Greek island of Symi on Sunday, after being missing since Wednesday.
His wife, Dr Clare Bailey Mosley, paid tribute to her “wonderful, funny, kind and brilliant husband”.
She said: “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,” The Telegraph reports.
“We had an incredibly lucky life together,” she said. “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 added.
Mosley has appeared on British programmes including the BBC series Trust Me, I’m a Doctor, the BBC’s The One Show and ITV’s This Morning. He popularised the 5:2 diet, which endorses intermittent fasting. He is also a regular columnist in the Daily Mail.
Jamie Oliver, the celebrity chef, said he was a “wonderfully sweet, kind and gentle man” who “did such a lot of good for public health”.
His friend Dr Tim Spector, the epidemiologist, wrote in The Telegraph that Dr Mosley’s “humble, calm and self-deprecating style as he carefully explained complex science in simple terms, [was] why the public loved him.”
Spector said Mosley was proud of his four children and his family kept him grounded.
BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore said Mosley was a brilliant science broadcaster who could make the most complex subjects simple. "He was also passionate about engaging and entertaining audiences, inspiring us all to live a healthier, fuller life," she added.
Dr Saleyha Ahsan, co-presenter on Trust Me, I'm A Doctor, described him as a "national treasure". While speaking to BBC she also praised his "passion for explaining science to a wider audience."
Chris van Tulleken, one of Dr Mosley's co-presenters on Trust Me, I'm A Doctor, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "He basically invented a genre of science broadcasting".
The Foreign Office said it was supporting Mosley's family and was in contact with the local authorities in Greece.
Bob Blackman MP speaks during the event