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{{Infobox Actor
| name = Mark Speight
| image = Markspeight.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Mark Speight
| birthdate = {{birth date |1965|8|6|df=y}}
| birthplace = [[Seisdon]], [[Staffordshire]],<br>[[England]]
| deathdate = {{death date and age|df=yes|2008|4|7|1965|8|6}}
| yearsactive = 1994–2008
| domesticpartner = [[Natasha Collins]]<br>(2005–2008)
| deathplace = [[London]], [[England]]
| occupation = [[TV presenter]]
}}

'''Mark Warwick Fordham Speight''' (6 August 1965&nbsp;– 7 April 2008)<ref name=mailonsunday>{{cite news |url=http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/femail/article-1068093/Drugs-death-despair-How-death-TV-presenter-Mark-Speights-fiancee-sparked-spiral-tragedy.html |title=Drugs, death and despair: How death of TV presenter Mark Speight's fiancee sparked a spiral of tragedy |last=Cable |first=Amanda |work=[[The Mail on Sunday]]|publisher=[[Associated Newspapers Ltd]]|date=2008-10-04 |accessdate=2008-10-04}}</ref> was a British television presenter, who worked on the long-running [[BBC]] children's art programme ''[[SMart]]'', amongst other shows. Growing up in [[Tettenhall]], [[West Midlands]], he left school at the age of 16 to become a cartoonist. He subsequently gained an art degree, and while working in television [[set construction]], heard of auditions for a new children's art programme. He became one of the first presenters of ''SMart'', and fronted the show for fourteen years.

Speight was also a presenter on ''[[See It Saw It]]'', where he met his future fiancée [[Natasha Collins]]. He took part in live events, such as ''[[Rolf on Art]]'' and his own ''Speight of the Art'' workshops for children. He became involved in charity work, becoming the president for the [[Muscular Dystrophy Campaign]]'s Young Pavement Artists Competition, and a spokesperson for [[ChildLine]]. During the [[Christmas]] period in 2007, he took part in a [[pantomime]] production of ''Cinderella''.

In January 2008 Speight found Collins's dead body in the bath at their London flat and was initially arrested on suspicion of her murder, but was ultimately not charged with any offence. An inquest later determined she had died of a drug overdose and severe burns from hot water. In April, Speight was reported missing and was found hanged near [[Paddington Station]] a few days later; two suicide notes were later discovered, describing how he could no longer live life without Collins.

==Biography==
===Early life===
Speight was born in [[Seisdon]], [[Staffordshire]], and grew up in [[Tettenhall]], near [[Wolverhampton]]. His father, Oliver Speight, is a property developer, and his mother, Jacqueline Speight, was an art teacher.<ref name=guardobit>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/apr/14/television|title=Mark Speight|accessdate=2008-09-24|date=[[2008-10-05]]|work=[[The Guardian]]|publisher=[[Guardian Media Group]]|last=Armstrong |first=Stephen}}</ref> Jacqueline died on 5 September 2008, aged 62, from a [[stroke]] allegedly brought on by the stress of her son's death.<ref name=mail>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1052936/Stress-kills-mother-tragic-TV-star-Speight.html |title='Stress' kills the mother of tragic TV star Mark Speight |last=Self |first=Alistair |date=[[2008-09-07]] |work=[[Daily Mail]]|publisher=[[Associated Newspapers Ltd]]|accessdate=2008-09-24}}</ref> Speight attended the [[Independent school (UK)|independent school]] [[Tettenhall College]] for a year, before moving at the age of 12 to [[Comprehensive school|state comprehensive]] Regis School, now known as King's School.<ref name="obit">{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7346112.stm | title=Obituary: Mark Speight | work=[[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]] | date=[[2008-04-14]] | accessdate=2008-09-24 }}</ref> Speight stated in an interview he was a slow learner at school, with a short attention span, and art was a way for him to communicate.<ref name=guardobit /> He said he did "very badly" because he was a victim of bullying, and the "daily ordeal for two years" forced him to become the "class joker". Speight left aged 16 and went on to attend Bilston Art School.<ref name="midland">{{cite news | last = Parkes | first = Diane | title = Telly star Mark a victim of bullies | work = icBirmingham | publisher = Midland Newspapers | date = [[2005-09-16]] | url =http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/campaigns/tm_headline=telly-star-mark-a-victim-of-bullies%26method=full%26objectid=16138532%26siteid=50002-name_page.html | accessdate = 2008-01-08}}</ref>

===Career===
Speight took a degree in [[Commercial art|commercial]] and [[graphic design|graphic art]] at Bilston Art School. Intending to become a cartoonist, he entered into television after he heard about auditions for children's television programme ''[[SMart]]'' while painting the [[Set construction|set]] of another television production.<ref name=guardobit /> Following a successful interview, where he met future co-presenter [[Jay Burridge]],<ref name=burridge>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/apr/18/bbc.television|title=Mark and me|accessdate=2008-04-18|date=[[2008-04-18]]|first=Jay |last=Burridge|work=[[The Guardian]]|publisher=[[Guardian Media Group]]}}</ref> he went on to present ''SMart'' from its first edition in 1994.<ref name=guardobit /> Speight became close friends with Burridge, whose art studio in West London was used to create all of the art content for the show; Burridge noted: "We would bounce ideas and jokes off each other all day until we had developed an almost telepathically linked knowledge of what made each other laugh".<ref name=burridge /> Speight and Burridge were joined by third presenter [[Zoë Ball]], who was replaced first by [[Josie D'Arby]], and then [[Kirsten O'Brien]]. With Burridge and O'Brien, Speight presented the spin-off shows ''[[SMarteenies]]'' and ''[[SMart on the Road]]'', as well as various live events.<ref name=burridge /> He achieved further fame while starring in the [[BAFTA]]-nominated [[ITV]] Saturday morning show ''[[Scratchy & Co.]]'' from 1995 until 1998.<ref name=guardobit />

[[Image:SeeitSawitBBC.jpg|thumb|Collins and Speight on ''See It Saw It'']]
Speight worked on numerous other shows, ranging from [[children's television]] to adult factual programmes. He played the ''Abominable No Man'' in [[Timmy Mallett]]'s ''Timmy Towers''<ref name=guardobit /> and hosted ''Beat the Cyborgs'', ''Name That Toon'', ''On Your Marks'',<ref name="Postmortem">{{cite news | last = Ryan| first = Rosalind| title = Postmortem on Speight's fiancee inconclusive' | work = [[The Guardian]] |publisher=[[Guardian Media Group]] | date = 2008-01-07| url =http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2236805,00.html | accessdate = 2008-01-07}}</ref> ''[[Insides Out]]'',<ref name="midland" /> and ''[[History Busters]]'', the last of which won a [[Royal Television Society]] Award.<ref name="obit"/><ref name="MEN">{{cite news | title = RTS Awards&nbsp;— the winners | work = Manchester Evening News | publisher = M.E.N. media|date=2003-11-17| url = http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/73/73232_rts_awards__the_winners.html| accessdate = 2008-01-05}}</ref> Speight had regular slots on ''[[This Morning (TV series)|This Morning]]'', ''[[The Heaven and Earth Show]]'',<ref name=guardobit /> ''[[The Big Breakfast]]''<ref name="midland" /> and was a contestant in ITV's ''[[Celebrity Wrestling]]''.<ref>{{cite news | last =Bishop | first = Tom | title = ITV wrestles for Saturday ratings | work = [[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=2005-04-14| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4440957.stm| accessdate = 2008-01-04}}</ref> Speight also played the king on ''[[See It Saw It]]'', where he met [[Natasha Collins]].<ref name="obit"/> Collins was seriously injured after being hit by a car in 2001, and had to leave ''See It Saw It''. Speight began dating her in 2003,<ref name=mailonsunday /> and they became engaged in [[Barbados]] in 2005. They planned to get married in fancy dress and Speight joked that the wedding might feature monkeys, his favourite animal.<ref name=guardobit />

In 2004, Speight participated in [[Rolf Harris]]'s ''[[Rolf on Art]]'', for which a giant reproduction of [[John Constable]]'s ''[[The Hay Wain]]'' was created in [[Trafalgar Square]]. In 2005, he was involved in similar events where [[Hans Holbein the Younger|Hans Holbein]]'s portrait of [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]] and [[Leonardo da Vinci]]'s ''[[Mona Lisa]]'' were both reconstructed, the latter in the grounds of [[Edinburgh Castle]].<ref name=guardobit /> Speight had planned a project involving a trip to [[Borneo]] in March 2008 to train abused [[orangutan]]s not to fight each other, but this never took place.<ref name=bucks>{{cite news| last = Dakin| first = Melanie| title = CBBC SMart host Mark Speight draws the crowds at The Watersmeet| work = Bucks Free Press| publisher = Newsquest Media Group |date=[[2007-12-06]]| url = http://www.thisisbucks.co.uk/leisure/pantoguide/pantointerviews/display.var.1887408.0.cbbc_smart_host_mark_speight_draws_the_crowds_at_the_watersmeet.php| accessdate = 2008-09-24}}</ref>

Speight regularly toured with ''Speight of the Art'', a series of art workshops he ran for children. He was involved in charity work; he became President of the [[Muscular Dystrophy Campaign]]'s Young Pavement Artists Competition, originally a one-off year-long project that lasted eight years, and a spokesperson for [[ChildLine]].<ref name=guardobit /><ref>{{cite press release| title = Statement on Mark Speight| url = http://www.muscular-dystrophy.org/news/statement_on_2.html| publisher = [[Muscular Dystrophy Campaign]]| date = 2008-04-14| accessdate = 2008-04-16}}</ref> In 2007, he hosted the [[Müller Big Art Project]] in Trafalgar Square as part of [[Comic Relief]]'s [[Red Nose Day]]. During the [[Christmas]] period, he became involved in [[pantomime]], and performed as "Buttons" in ''Cinderella'' at the Watersmeet, [[Rickmansworth]] in December 2007.<ref name=bucks />

===Arrest and disappearance===
On the afternoon of 3 January 2008, Speight called emergency services having woken up to discover Collins's body in the bath of their [[St John's Wood]] flat, in northwest London. Speight told police that he and Collins spent the previous evening partying, and had taken cocaine and sleeping pills, wine and vodka.<ref name="times">{{cite news |last= Booth |first= Jenny | url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article3704273.ece | title=TV star Mark Speight 'missing' after fiancee Natasha Collins's inquest | work=[[The Times]] |publisher=[[News International]] | date=2008-04-08 | accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> Speight was questioned by police since he was the only other person living in the flat,<ref>{{cite news | title = CBBC star 'distraught' over death | work = [[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=[[2008-01-04]] | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7171292.stm | accessdate = 2008-01-04}}</ref> and the BBC cancelled the Saturday repeat edition of ''SMart''.<ref name=leavessmart>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7269389.stm|title=CBBC star leaves show over death|work=[[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=[[2008-02-28]] | accessdate=2008-09-24}}</ref> He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder and of supplying [[Misuse of Drugs Act 1971#Class A drugs|class A drugs]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jan/04/ukcrime.media |title=BBC star bailed after death of girlfriend |last=Stratton |first=Allegra |work=[[The Guardian]] |publisher=[[Guardian Media Group]]|date=[[2008-01-04]] |accessdate=2008-09-24}}</ref> but he was released on bail until the first week of February. An [[Inquest (England and Wales)|inquest]], which opened on 8 January 2008, heard that the death was not thought to be suspicious but should be "subject to further investigation".<ref name=notsuspicious>{{cite news | title=Presenter death 'not suspicious' | work=[[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]] | date=[[2008-01-08]] | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7176552.stm | accessdate = 2008-01-08}}</ref> At that point, police were awaiting results of [[toxicology]] tests after a [[postmortem]] examination had proved inconclusive.<ref name="Postmortem" /> The BBC cancelled repeat broadcasts of ''SMart'' and ''SMarteenies'' until further notice,<ref name="Postmortem"/> and on 28 February Speight announced he was quitting ''SMart'', because the "tragic loss" of Collins had left him unable to continue with the show.<ref name=leavessmart /> Speight denied any involvement with Collins's death,<ref name=notsuspicious /> and on 19 March it was reported that the police would take no further action.<ref name="coroner">{{cite news | title=Actress died after taking drugs | work=[[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]] | date=[[2008-04-02]] | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7326226.stm | accessdate = 2008-04-13}} </ref>

In April 2008, the coroner recorded a verdict of [[wikt:misadventure|death by misadventure]] in relation to Collins. The inquest found that she had taken "very significant" amounts of cocaine with sleeping pills and vodka, and that she had suffered 60% burns to her body, including her tongue. The consultant pathologist gave the cause of death as cocaine toxicity and immersion in hot water.<ref name="coroner"/> The coroner noted that at some stage in the night after both Speight and Collins had gone to bed, Collins got up to have a bath. He said that it was "more likely than not" that a heart problem had caused Collins to fall unconscious while the hot tap was running.<ref name="times"/> Following Collins's death, Speight moved in with her mother.<ref name="missing">{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7335912.stm | title=Fiancee death presenter missing | work=[[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]] | date=[[2008-04-08]] | accessdate=2008-04-08 }}</ref>

Speight failed to meet with Collins's mother at [[Covent Garden]] for a coffee on the afternoon of 7 April,<ref name=police>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7337977.stm |title=Police spoke to missing presenter | work=[[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=2008-04-09 | accessdate=2008-04-12 }}</ref> after he had been dropped off at [[Wood Green tube station]] that morning.<ref name=familyplea>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7336981.stm | title=Family plea to missing presenter | work=[[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]] | date=[[2008-04-08]] | accessdate=2008-04-08 }}</ref> He had been due to visit a counsellor, but a mix-up over dates meant she was not home.<ref name=hanged>{{cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7410338.stm | title = Presenter Speight hanged himself |work=[[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]] | date=[[2008-05-20]] | accessdate = 2008-05-20}}</ref> Two police officers also spoke to him, as he appeared "vacant", "distracted" and "deep in thought", but he refused their help. He was caught on CCTV in the afternoon taking money from a [[Automated teller machine|cash machine]] at [[Queen's Park station]], and he subsequently boarded a southbound [[Bakerloo line]] train.<ref name=police /> He was reported missing the following day by family and friends, and his mother and the mother of Natasha Collins made a public appeal in which they urged him to make contact.<ref name=familyplea /> Speight's father also appealed for him to get in touch.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7344864.stm | title=Missing star told 'don't give up' |work=[[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]] | date=[[2008-04-12]] |accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref>

===Death and legacy===
On 13 April, Speight's body was discovered hanging from the roof of MacMillan House, adjacent to London's [[London Paddington station|Paddington Station]], out of public view.<ref name="bbcz">{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7346909.stm | title=TV host Speight was found hanged | work=[[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]] | date=[[2008-04-14]] | accessdate=2008-04-14 }}</ref> The discovery was made by railway workers at 10:00am,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7345486.stm |title=TV host Mark Speight 'found dead' |work=[[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=[[2008-04-13]] |accessdate=2008-09-24}}</ref> and [[British Transport Police]] confirmed that the body was Speight's on 14 April 2008. An inquest into the death opened on 16 April 2008, and a post-mortem confirmed the cause of death as [[hanging]]. It was then adjourned until 20 May.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7350087.stm | title = TV presenter left suicide notes |work=[[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=[[2008-04-16]] | accessdate = 2008-04-16}}</ref> The police said it was possible Speight used a sixth floor fire exit to access the roof area where he was found.<ref name=hanged />

The report of Speight's death on the BBC's children's news programme ''[[Newsround]]'' provoked complaints that it upset young viewers. Instead of using the word "suicide," ''Newsround'' reported that "police don't think he was killed by anyone else."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1895775/BBC%27s-Mark-Speight-coverage-made-children-cry.html |title=BBC's Mark Speight coverage made children cry |date=[[2008-10-05]] |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |accessdate=2008-09-26}}</ref> Still, some parents criticised the decision to mention Speight's death at all. The BBC defended its actions, stating that if ''Newsround'' did not cover his death, it would not be "serving [its] audience properly".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-559890/BBC-Newsround-flooded-complaints-coverage-Mark-Speights-death.html |title=BBC Newsround flooded with complaints over coverage of Mark Speight's death |date=[[2008-04-15]] |last=Revoir |first=Paul |work=[[Daily Mail]] |publisher=[[Associated Newspapers Ltd]]|accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref>

Speight's funeral was held on 28 April at St Michael and All Angels Church in [[Tettenhall]], and was hundreds came to pay their respects. The service was complemented by the choir from Tettenhall College, Speight's former school, and his coffin was carried out of the church to the theme tune of ''SMart''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/7370490.stm|title=Funeral for hanged TV presenter|accessdate=2008-04-28|date=[[2008-04-28]]|work=[[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref> In May, the inquest resumed and determined that Speight had first tried to hang himself with his belt, which was found snapped in his pocket, and had ended up hanging himself with his shoelaces; it was also disclosed that suicide notes had been found, one in his left pocket, and one addressed to his parents in his diary at his home. The notes described how he could not "contemplate life without [Collins]".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1995236/Mark-Speight-%27could-not-live-without-fiancee%27.html |title=Mark Speight 'could not live without fiancee' |last=Tibbetts |first=Graham |date=[[2008-05-20]] |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |accessdate=2008-09-26}}</ref> The coroner Dr Paul Knapman said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. In May 2008, Speight's father created a foundation, ''SP8 Of The Art'', and launched it at a memorial service which took place on what would have been his 43rd birthday, 6 August 2008 at [[St Paul's, Covent Garden|St Paul's church]] in Covent Garden, London.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7544799.stm |date=[[2008-08-06]] |title=Memorial for TV presenter Speight |work=[[BBC News Online]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |accessdate=2008-09-26}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.billymarsh.co.uk/mark-speight.htm Mark Speight] at Billy Marsh Associates
*{{imdb|id=1217981|name=Mark Speight}}
*[http://www.tv.com/mark-speight/person/288924/summary.html?q=mark%20speight&tag=search_results;title;0 Mark Speight] at [[TV.com]]
*[http://www.speightoftheart.org/ SP8 of the Art Foundation]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/7346168.stm In pictures: Mark Speight] from [[bbc.co.uk]]

<!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->

{{Persondata
|NAME= Speight, Mark
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= [[TV presenter]]
|DATE OF BIRTH= {{birth date |df=yes|1965|8|6}}
|PLACE OF BIRTH= [[Trowbridge]], [[Wiltshire]], [[England]]
|DATE OF DEATH= April 2008 (Aged 42)
|PLACE OF DEATH= [[London]], [[England]]
}}
{{Lifetime|1965|2008|Speight, Mark}}
[[Category:British television presenters]]
[[Category:People from Wolverhampton]]
[[Category:Suicides by hanging]]
[[Category:Television personalities who committed suicide]]
[[Category:Suicides in England]]

[[cy:Mark Speight]]
[[nl:Mark Speight]]
[[simple:Mark Speight]]

Latest revision as of 23:33, 9 October 2008

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