TV doctor's death on Greek island in June probably due to heatstroke or a pathological cause, coroner finds
A coroner has recorded an open conclusion regarding the "unascertainable" death of TV doctor Michael Mosley, who died on a Greek island after he went for a walk.
Crispin Butler, the senior coroner for Buckinghamshire, said Mosley's death "was most likely attributable either to heatstroke (accidental) or non-identified pathological cause".
Mosley, 67, went missing after going for a walk while on holiday on the Greek island of Symi in June, leading to an intensive four-day search by emergency services.
He was found dead on a remote rocky terrain accessible only by boat or foot, about a 30 minute walk from where he had left his wife and friends.
Extreme weather warnings had been in place that week on the island, where temperatures reached above 40C in the afternoons.
In written findings, Butler said Mosley's death was not as a result of homicide, suicide, or an accident related to injuries.
A document from the coroner said family evidence confirmed details of the trip, and that they had been staying with friends.
"On the morning of 5 June, they travelled to Pedi Beach, arriving late morning," it said. "Michael had intentionally left his mobile phone back at the house to prevent it getting wet on the ferry.
"Later in the afternoon Michael decided he was going to walk back home rather than take the ferry. He had his rucksack, one litre of water and a biscuit, and had a hat and umbrella.
"Michael was described as looking energetic and cheerful as he set off. Ultimately Michael's death was classified as indeterminate, which we would describe as 'unascertainable'."
Recording an open conclusion, Butler said: "Michael Mosley collapsed and died on 5 June 2024 in a rocky area near Agia Marina Beach, Symi, Dodecanese, Greece.
"There had been high temperatures during this time. Michael's death was not found to be due to homicide, suicide or an accident related to injuries.
"Michael's death was most likely attributable either to heatstroke (accidental) or a non-identified pathological cause. There was nothing of note in toxicology.
"No medical cause of death could be ascertained, meaning Michael's death may have been due to a medical event or as a result of a non-traumatic accident."
Mosley was an author and television doctor most well known for popularising the 5:2 intermittent fasting diet. In 2012, he presented the BBC documentary Eat, Fast and Live Longer exploring how the diet worked, and followed this up with a bestselling book on the subject, The Fast Diet, in 2013.
He regularly appeared on chatshows and presented science and healthcare documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4.
Mosley wrote more books on dieting and health and [presented Just One Thing on BBC Radio 4 which looked at how small lifestyle changes could improve physical wellbeing.
In his BBC series Trust Me, I'm A Doctor, Mosley investigated and evaluated how to live healthily, exploring food and exercise trends in Britain.
For his BBC4 documentary Infested! he ingested tapeworms for six weeks to investigate their effect on the human body. In The Wonderful World of Blood, he ate black pudding made up of his own blood to showcase its nutritional value.
