TV Presenter Mark Speight Found Dead

[AFKA5814_Hibs]

Looks like two lives cut short due to drugs misuse.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7345486.stm

[GlesgaeHibby]

Horrible what drugs can do, a real shame. Used to love watching him on SMArt

RIP

[woodythehibee]

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Horrible what drugs can do, a real shame. Used to love watching him on SMArt

RIP

ditto. its such a same . rip

[Toaods]

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Looks like two lives cut short due to drugs misuse.

Exactly..... but there will still be plenty idiots up town tonight who'll be taking their little bit of fun, thinking it's simply great. Fools.

[TQM]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/home?sd=...&lpos=LEFT_NAV

[Chuckie]

Was the most likely outcome for this tragic story when it was announced he had gone missing...

[happyhibbie]

Tragic ..R.I.P ...

[zlatan]

Most predictable text message joke of 2008 coming soon to a mobile phone near you!

Poor guy.

[Chez]

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Horrible what drugs can do, a real shame. RIP

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Exactly..... but there will still be plenty idiots up town tonight who'll be taking their little bit of fun, thinking it's simply great. Fools.

With little or no regards for the consequences. Mark Speight RIP

[happyhibbie]

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Most predictable text message joke of 2008 coming soon to a mobile phone near you!

Poor guy.

I would hope not ..cos it wont last long ..

[Betty Boop]

Jeezo! What a tragedy RIP.

[AllyF]

That really is a horrible end to the story.

RIP.

[Hibbychick]

So sad but not unexpected.

R.I.P

[lyonhibs]

I'm going to go against the grain here.

This link is a tragedy http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article....34&in_a_source=

Mark Speight was a successful kids tv presenter who probably had more than enough money to get by. We all face vices and temptation in life, but that's not to say we should succumb to them, or that if we do, we should somehow be worthy of sympathy.

I used to love watching Mark Speight as a kid - however the fact that he probably finished his shift on Kids t.v. then headed down some SoHo club with his buddies and had a "wee cheeky" sniff of the Bolivian Marching powder or similar kind of takes the edge off my otherwise rosy memories of the man.

And enduring personal tragedy is not a reason in itself to start ingesting any intoxicating/illegal substance that passes your way - my dad, who never touched a drop of any class A narcotics in his life - unlike the unfortunate Mr Speight's fiancé - and gave nearly 30 years of his life to public government service died in December 2006 of aggressive brain cancer, yet I have never felt the need to drink myself into a stupor or go on a self-indulgent binge on any illegal substance.

No sympathy whatsoever for Speight - the real tragedy is for his family who have to pick up the pieces.

Tin hat firmly on

[DaveF]

Good post LH however grief affects people in many different ways.

I've no doubt this guy felt a very heavy personal burden over his role in his g/f's death and this ultimately led to his own demise.

As an aside, just how big is Paddington Station if he managed to commit suicide there and not be found for days!

[Mrs. S]

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I'm going to go against the grain here.

This link is a tragedy http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article....34&in_a_source=

Mark Speight was a successful kids tv presenter who probably had more than enough money to get by. We all face vices and temptation in life, but that's not to say we should succumb to them, or that if we do, we should somehow be worthy of sympathy.

I used to love watching Mark Speight as a kid - however the fact that he probably finished his shift on Kids t.v. then headed down some SoHo club with his buddies and had a "wee cheeky" sniff of the Bolivian Marching powder or similar kind of takes the edge off my otherwise rosy memories of the man.

And enduring personal tragedy is not a reason in itself to start ingesting any intoxicating/illegal substance that passes your way - my dad, who never touched a drop of any class A narcotics in his life - unlike the unfortunate Mr Speight's fiancé - and gave nearly 30 years of his life to public government service died in December 2006 of aggressive brain cancer, yet I have never felt the need to drink myself into a stupor or go on a self-indulgent binge on any illegal substance.

No sympathy whatsoever for Speight - the real tragedy is for his family who have to pick up the pieces.

Tin hat firmly on

Bit harsh but I do see where you are coming from. I know kids presenters are not squeaky clean but your point about him doing a kids show then heading off for some god knows what was something I had thought of too. My 2 wee ones loved his programmes and thought he was brill. They have been kinda following the story in the papers and on the telly and it is hard to explain to a 6 year old whats happening. I haven't told them yet that he has been found as I dont know how to explain it. My 2 older ones will hopefully learn a couple of lessons from it - one being not to do drugs and one being about people having 2 faces and not to trust everything they see.

Having said that the guilt the guy must have been carrying must have been horrendous. He lost everything because of drugs.

I really hope he finds peace wherever he may be now.

[Betty Boop]

Still a tragedy whether drugs were involved or not!

[Sean1875]

Gutted. Loved watching him on Smart.

R.I.P

[Loobrush]

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Exactly..... but there will still be plenty idiots up town tonight who'll be taking their little bit of fun, thinking it's simply great. Fools.

Fairly ignorant comment, that.

[GlesgaeHibby]

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Fairly ignorant comment, that.

Don't see why that is an ignorant comment. People that take these drugs that could kill them for a kick are fools.

[Brando7]

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Gutted. Loved watching him on Smart.

R.I.P

Did he no do another programme on CITV when he was a robot like criton from red drawf?

Grew up watching this guy

R.I.P

[Loobrush]

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Don't see why that is an ignorant comment. People that take these drugs that could kill them for a kick are fools.

So I'm a fool for taking something which I have taken many times before and have never had any problems with? I suppose anyone who goes out drinking on a saturday night as their "wee bit of fun" are complete idiots too? There are different extents of drug use, don't think tarring everyone with the same brush is right.

[Pretty Boy]

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I'm going to go against the grain here.

This link is a tragedy http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article....34&in_a_source=

Mark Speight was a successful kids tv presenter who probably had more than enough money to get by. We all face vices and temptation in life, but that's not to say we should succumb to them, or that if we do, we should somehow be worthy of sympathy.

I used to love watching Mark Speight as a kid - however the fact that he probably finished his shift on Kids t.v. then headed down some SoHo club with his buddies and had a "wee cheeky" sniff of the Bolivian Marching powder or similar kind of takes the edge off my otherwise rosy memories of the man.

And enduring personal tragedy is not a reason in itself to start ingesting any intoxicating/illegal substance that passes your way - my dad, who never touched a drop of any class A narcotics in his life - unlike the unfortunate Mr Speight's fiancé - and gave nearly 30 years of his life to public government service died in December 2006 of aggressive brain cancer, yet I have never felt the need to drink myself into a stupor or go on a self-indulgent binge on any illegal substance.

No sympathy whatsoever for Speight - the real tragedy is for his family who have to pick up the pieces.

Tin hat firmly on

Whilst i see where you are coming from i have to disagree slightly.

People deal with grief in deifferent ways, whilst you have dealt with grief in a sensible and proper way, Mark Speight has found it far harder to cope, perhaps a feeling of personal responsibility?

As for temptations and vices, it's sad but true that some peoples willpower is not as strong as others. I have every sympathy for both people who have died as well as their family and friends who will have to pick up the pieces.

However, IMHO, the real tragedy here is that a disgusting drug like cocaine is so freely available. This is a drug which has been glamourised as cool and hip by celebrities, lads mags (especially FHM) and so on and so forth. Whilst the government wastes time arguing about reclassifying a (relatively) harmless drug like cannabis, the popularity and use of cocaine continues to grow. This is a drug which people are far more likely to encounter than heroin, which is completely demonised, yet both drugs ruin lives, are highly addictive and can kill very swiftly. A major anti cocaine drive is long overdue similar to the anti heroin drive in the 80s and early 90s.

[SlickShoes]

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So I'm a fool for taking something which I have taken many times before and have never had any problems with? I suppose anyone who goes out drinking on a saturday night as their "wee bit of fun" are complete idiots too? There are different extents of drug use, don't think tarring everyone with the same brush is right.

There is a difference though, if i go out and get some beer i know where it came from, if i go out and do a line of coke it could come form anywhere and could have anything in it.

[lyonhibs]

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There is a difference though, if i go out and get some beer i know where it came from, if i go out and do a line of coke it could come form anywhere and could have anything in it.

And also, here's the kicker. One dodgy tab of ectasy/line of coke can kill you - one poorly poured pint might give you the ****s, but nothing more.

Oh, and drinking beer is legal and doesn't involve dabbling in a trade where someone somewhere along the supply chain is practically guarenteed to have been exploited in a less developed country.

But yes, apart from those 2, I can see why the few cans I'll have tomorrow amongst mates watching the game could so easily be replaced by a few lines of a class A narcotic

Again, it's a shame and people of my age will have grown up with Mark Speight on the tv.

Still, fark all sympathy for the man himself - it's his loved ones I feel sorry for.

Edit - last paragraph of Forever Hibs post - couldn't agree more.

[steakbake]

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And also, here's the kicker. One dodgy tab of ectasy/line of coke can kill you - one poorly poured pint might give you the ****s, but nothing more.

Oh, and drinking beer is legal and doesn't involve dabbling in a trade where someone somewhere along the supply chain is practically guarenteed to have been exploited in a less developed country.

But yes, apart from those 2, I can see why the few cans I'll have tomorrow amongst mates watching the game could so easily be replaced by a few lines of a class A narcotic

Again, it's a shame and people of my age will have grown up with Mark Speight on the tv.

Still, fark all sympathy for the man himself - it's his loved ones I feel sorry for.

Edit - last paragraph of Forever Hibs post - couldn't agree more.

Is exploitation of people only acceptable if it takes place in a developed country?

[Doddie]

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I'm going to go against the grain here.

This link is a tragedy http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article....34&in_a_source=

Mark Speight was a successful kids tv presenter who probably had more than enough money to get by. We all face vices and temptation in life, but that's not to say we should succumb to them, or that if we do, we should somehow be worthy of sympathy.

I used to love watching Mark Speight as a kid - however the fact that he probably finished his shift on Kids t.v. then headed down some SoHo club with his buddies and had a "wee cheeky" sniff of the Bolivian Marching powder or similar kind of takes the edge off my otherwise rosy memories of the man.

And enduring personal tragedy is not a reason in itself to start ingesting any intoxicating/illegal substance that passes your way - my dad, who never touched a drop of any class A narcotics in his life - unlike the unfortunate Mr Speight's fiancé - and gave nearly 30 years of his life to public government service died in December 2006 of aggressive brain cancer, yet I have never felt the need to drink myself into a stupor or go on a self-indulgent binge on any illegal substance.

No sympathy whatsoever for Speight - the real tragedy is for his family who have to pick up the pieces.

Tin hat firmly on

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Good post LH however grief affects people in many different ways.

I've no doubt this guy felt a very heavy personal burden over his role in his g/f's death and this ultimately led to his own demise.

As an aside, just how big is Paddington Station if he managed to commit suicide there and not be found for days!

Very big, Spamheid.

Whenever the death of an alleged 'celebrity' occurs, in whatever circumstances, I'm rather bemused by the outpouring of public 'grief' on his/her account.

I have to deal with people's grief on a regular basis in my professional life. It never fails to impress me how generally uncaring the average punter is towards other people's bereavements.

Of course, these ar ordinary people - not celebrities - but if I had a tenner for every time a private motorist 'cut up' a funeral cortege I was travelling with, or sounded off the horn because a hearse and funeral cars were causing a temporary delay at a junction or roundabout or outside the funeral parlour, I'd be a rich man. And most of those morons, I'm sure, would be all too ready to make the right noises and post the right words on a thread like this.

Speight is dead - by his own hand, apparently. That's a dark place to leave this world from, and I'm sorry for him and for his family who'll have to somehow come to terms with their grief, and all the tormenting questions a suicide leaves in the hearts and minds of the bereaved.

The fact is, he leaves a dreadful example behind him to the children who watched the programs he presented and who no doubt took him as a role-model. We run police checks on anyone and everyone who works with children in any capacity today, yet we don't check up on the people who speak to our children from the TV screen? That's shameful.

My sympathy and condolences to lyonhibs - I can only imagine what he and his family went through.

[lyonhibs]

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Is exploitation of people only acceptable if it takes place in a developed country?

Quoi???

Methinks you might be reading somewhat too deep into my post

[Loobrush]

Sorry wasn't meaning about just coke, but recreational drug use in general. Was referring to the view that it's only idiots who go out and have some drugs at the weekend.

Also Mark Speight obviously had a big problem with the stuff, the majority of people don't get in that sort of state. Not wanting to get into a whole debate over this but I'd hazard a guess that far more people's lives are ruined from alcohol than cocaine.

[Storar]

Don't want this to get taken the wrong way because it's not a case of who deserves more sympathy when someone has died. However this incident goes to show the inconsistency of the media and the publics perception of it.

Mark Speight, a successful childrens tv presenter dies after excessive drug use - "Rest In Peace Mark, terrible shame, waste of a young life"

Pete Doherty, a successful musician goes to jail after excessive drug use - "good riddance, should be shot, watser, junkie etc"

For the record I agree with the sentiments regarding Mark Speight and it is a shame that he didn't have what it took to get through the hard time.