Greek authorities believe Michael Mosley passed away not long after falling ill.
A well-known TV doctor named Mosley who popularized the 5:2 diet, a type of intermittent fasting, went missing during his vacation on Wednesday. This led to a large-scale search operation involving the police, fire service, coast guard, and volunteers.
Mosley's body was discovered on Sunday, about two hours from Agios Nikolaos beach, where he started his walk. According to CNN, Greek police spokeswoman Konstantia Dimoglidou confirmed that he likely died around 4 p.m. local time (9 a.m. ET) on Wednesday.
A preliminary autopsy concluded that he died from natural causes and that no injuries were found on his body that could have led to his death, as reported by the BBC.
Dimoglidou added that police don't think Mosley had been sitting for long before dying due to the proximity of his death time to the amount of time it would've taken to reach the spot where he was found.
The island's mayor, Lefteris Papakalodoukas, along with some journalists, spotted Mosley's body while on a boat. It was found face-up near a fence about 20 meters (66 feet) above Agia Marina beach. The position of his body suggests that he might have been sitting when he passed away, according to Dimoglidou.
Mosley's wife, Dr. Clare Bailey, praised her "wonderful, funny, kind, and brilliant" husband after his body was discovered. She said he had attempted a challenging climb, taken the wrong path, and collapsed where he wouldn't be easily spotted by the search team.
The police have yet to officially identify him, but his family has confirmed his identity.
Mosley's TV shows, like Channel 4’s “Michael Mosley: Who Made Britain Fat?” and the BBC’s “Trust Me, I’m A Doctor,” garnered much attention in the UK. He was also a frequent guest on talk shows like the BBC’s “The One Show” and ITV’s “This Morning” and was a columnist for the Daily Mail.
Mosley authored a book on the Fast 800 diet, focusing on time-restricted eating for fast weight loss. His wife contributed a recipe book to the “The Fast 800” series.
In 2002, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding non-fiction special (informational) after producing the 2001 BBC mini-series “The Human Face.” This series explored the science behind facial beauty, expression, and fame.
In 2014, Mosley subjected himself to parasites for BBC's show “Infested! Living with Parasites.”
The impact of Mosley's work in the field of public health, specifically in the UK, could be seen in the tributes paid to him. Tom Watson, a former lawmaker, called Mosley a "hero" and praised him for his work, which helped many people.
A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described Mosley as "an extraordinary broadcaster who utilized his platform to influence and change multiple perspectives on several public health issues."
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Despite the global reach of his TV shows and books, Mosley's impact on public health was particularly notable in Europe. The European media also covered his passing, expressing their condolences to his family and colleagues.
