By Joe Inwood in Symi and André Rhoden-Paul in London, BBC News
ITV/ SHUTTERSTOCKThe wife of TV and radio presenter Dr Michael Mosley has paid tribute to her husband after his body was found, following days of searches on the Greek island of Symi.
“It’s devastating to have lost Michael, my wonderful, funny, kind and brilliant husband,” Dr Clare Bailey Mosley said in a statement confirming his death.
She said her husband took the wrong route and collapsed.
The 67-year-old went missing on Wednesday after setting off on a walk from Agios Nikolaos beach.
His body was found on a hillside near Agia Marina beach bar in the early hours of Sunday.
Dr Bailey Mosley said: “We had an incredibly lucky life together.
“We loved each other very much and were so happy together.”
Dr Mosley was first reported missing after he left Agios Nikolaos beach to set off on a walk at about 13:30 local time (11:30 BST) on Wednesday.
CCTV footage – believed to be of Dr Mosley – shows he walked to the other side of the bay amid the intense heat and across rocky terrain, making it an arduous journey.
“We’re taking comfort in the fact that he so very nearly made it,” his wife said.
“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.”
She also thanked the “extraordinary” people on Symi who worked “tirelessly” to find her husband.
Symi’s mayor Eleftherios Papakalodouka said the body was found as teams were searching the coastline with cameras.
A police source told BBC News the deceased had been dead “for a number of days”.
Dr Mosley was found next to a fence, with an umbrella close by, around 30 minutes walk from the village of Pedi where he was last seen.
A bar manager who was with journalists found the body, PA news agency reported, after the island’s mayor “saw something” by the fence of the bar and alerted staff.
Agia Marina bar manager Ilias Tsavaris said: “They called me, they said ‘You know what, we saw something from far away, can you go and check’.
“So when I walked up I saw something like a body.”
One police officer, who was part of the team recovering Dr Mosley’s body, apparently broke his leg during the mission.
A coroner has now examined the body. Police spokeswoman Konstantia Dimoglidou told the BBC authorities had to rule out any possibility that the death was the result of a criminal act.
Greek authorities had been conducting an extensive search for Dr Mosley over five days amid high temperatures.
The effort has included firefighters, dogs, helicopters, drones, local people and officers from Symi and outside the island.
The presenter’s four children had also joined his wife on the island.
Dr Clare Bailey Mosley added in her statement she was “hugely comforted by the outpouring of love” from people around the world.
“It’s clear that Michael meant a huge amount to so many of you,” she said.
Dr Mosley studied medicine in London and qualified as a doctor, and for the last two decades was working as a presenter, documentary maker, journalist and author.
He was known for his TV programmes including Trust Me, I’m a Doctor, and BBC Radio 4’s Just One Thing podcast.
Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s chief content officer, said the corporation’s thoughts went out to Dr Mosley’s family and friends.
She said: “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.”
Dr Saleyha Ahsan, his co-presenter on Trust Me, I’m A Doctor, told BBC News he was a “national treasure” and a “hugely talented” man.
She also praised his “passion for explaining science to a wider audience”, adding he made it “accessible to anyone and everyone, not just a niche scientific crowd”.
Professor Brian Cox said on X, formerly Twitter, that Dr Mosley was a “mentor” to other science presenters.
“And, as many of our colleagues have already said on here, he was a genuinely lovely man”, he added.
Dr Mosley was also known for popularising the 5:2 and the Fast 800 diets, which advocate for intermittent fasting and low-carbohydrate meals.
His diets attracted a lot of attention in the past, both for their methods and scientific accuracy.
Timeline
Wednesday 1330 local time (11:30 BST) – Dr Michael Mosley leaves his wife Clare on Agios Nikolaos beach and sets off on a walk
1350 – Man carrying umbrella is seen on CCTV in Pedi
1357 – Same man is seen again at Pedi’s marina heading north-east
Thursday 1115 – Police are unable to find the presenter, so they inform Athens and request assistance from the Greek fire department
1400 – Greek fire services, with six firefighters and a drone team, arrive in Symi
1900 – Helicopter deployed to assist search
Friday – Divers join the search in the water around Symi
Saturday 0600 – Firefighters resume search for Dr Mosley
1400 – His wife Clare says the Mosley family “will not lose hope” and thanks those involved in the search
Sunday – Authorities looking for Dr Mosley find a body
Additional reporting by Nikos Papanikolaou and Sofia Ferreira Santos
