Dr. Michael Mosley, a British medical journalist and BBC presenter, was found dead on a Greek island on Sunday following a four-day search. He was 67.
Mosley, who disappeared on the island of Symi on Wednesday afternoon (June 6), was spotted by Greek officials on a beach in Agia Marina, local mayor Eleftherios Papakalodoukas confirmed to the “New York Times.”
Mosley appeared in a variety of programs for the BBC, including “Trust Me, I’m a Doctor,” “Medical Mavericks,” “Blood and Guts: A History of Surgery” and “Eat, Fast and Live Longer.” He also hosted the BBC podcast “Just One Thing” and had a column in the “Daily Mail.”
In 2002, he received an Emmy nomination for “The Human Face,” a four-part BBC series examining the science behind facial beauty and expression.
Mosley was a well-known author of diet books that promoted fasting and calorie reduction, and was popular in Australia for his many appearances on SBS, including the specials “The Sleep Revolution,” “Australia’s Health Revolution” and more.
His 2013 book “The Fast Diet,” which he co-wrote with journalist Mimi Spencer, proposed the 5:2 diet, a form of intermittent fasting that involves minimizing one’s calorie intake two days a week.
Mosley had arrived in Greece on Tuesday for a weeklong trip. According to local authorities, he told friends at Agios Nikolaos beach on Wednesday afternoon that he would walk back to Symi town; he did not have his phone with him during the roughly two-mile walk. When he did not return after a few hours, his wife, Clare Bailey Mosley, reported him missing.
“It’s devastating to have lost Michael, my wonderful, funny, kind and brilliant husband,” Mosley’s wife said in a statement on Sunday, according to the BBC. “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.”
Charlotte Moore, BBC chief content officer, said Mosley “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.”
Moore continued, “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.”