ANN Widdecombe failed to appear on a TV show the day before her body was found as calls from the channel reportedly going unanswered.
Ms Widdecombe was allegedly due to be a guest, via video call from her home, on Channel 5‘s Matt Allwright show at 1pm on Wednesday, but didn’t appear.
Ann Widdecombe reportedly failed to make a planned appearance on TV the day before her body was found
Ann Widdecombe was a regular on both Jeremy Vine and Matt Allwright’s Channel 5 shows
ITV News reports that a researcher on the Channel 5 show had spoken to Ms Widdecombe on the phone on Wednesday afternoon to set up an interview.
Following the phone call, the researcher and ex-Conservative MP exchanged messages just after 12pm.
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The last message received from Ms Widdecombe came at 12:19pm with no responses following, despite the researcher calling her.
The researcher then messaged again at 12:48pm requesting that Miss Widdecombe join the Zoom link in preparation for the remote interview.
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Ms Widdecombe was due to appear on a show via Zoom the day before she was found Credit: TalkTV
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Ms Widdecombe did not reply and failed to respond to subsequent messages.
Fears were then raised for Ms Widdecombe who was a regular on both the Jeremy Vine and Matt Allwright panel shows, and would typically respond to interview requests quickly.
She typically joined the shows by Zoom from her home.
However, the ex-MP failed to appear on the show having not picked up the phone or joined a virtual link.
A source said: “It was very strange that Ann wasn’t on. Nobody could understand it.
“She was usually very keen to be on and she is popular with viewers. The producers couldn’t get a hold of her.
“They tried multiple times on the phone and on text, but she wasn’t reading messages or responding.
“Obviously there was not much they could do except tell her agent she had not appeared and was not picking up calls.
Detectives have cordoned off the remote Dartmoor property as they investigate the tragedy Credit: PA
The last message received from Ms Widdecombe was at 12:19pm on Wednesday Credit: SWNS
“There was some fear that she’d had a medical incident, or maybe needed someone to check on her, but nobody thought she might be dead.
“The mood when everyone found out was very sad.”
The Jattvibe understands that Channel 5 passed the relevant information to the police investigating Ms Widdecombe’s death.
The 78-year-old was reportedly bludgeoned to death in her Dartmoor home — sustaining severe blunt trauma wounds to her head.
Her body was found by a carer in remote Haytor, Devon, the day after she failed to appear on the Channel 5 show.
It is believed the killer was caught on CCTV cameras at her home.
A 26-year-old man was then arrested at an address in nearby Newton Abbot, 11 miles away from Widdecombe’s house.
Devon and Cornwall Police Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said the death was not being treated as terrorism, and he had no information to suggest it was politically motivated.
Police were checking to see if Ms Widdecombe, a campaigner on stalking and harassment issues, had received any threats.
The former Conservative had become Reform UK’s immigration and justice spokeswoman.
ACC Longman refused to comment on if it could have been a burglary gone wrong, adding: “We remain open-minded.”
A neighbour claimed a man driving a van had turned up in the middle of the night at Ms Widdecombe’s home.
They said that the man was white and British and dressed in hiking clothes.
Roads surrounding the home were sealed off for forensic examinations.
During a press conference ACC Longman said: “We can confirm that a 26-year-old man was arrested at an address in Newton Abbot this afternoon on suspicion of the murder of Ann Widdecombe.
“The suspect, who is a white British national, remains in police custody while enquiries continue. It is not being treated as terrorism.
“A cordon remains at the property and locals will see significant police presence in the area. This is an extremely tragic incident.”
Details of the suspicious circumstances of her death had initially been kept under wraps over concerns of foul play.
Ms Widdecombe’s management said they are “absolutely devastated” by the news that cops have launched a murder investigation into her death, a statement said.
Cloud9 Management said the former MP “loved the cut and thrust of political debate” and was a “consummate professional”.
Ann Widdecombe’s nephew, Roger Widdecombe, has thanked the public for their messages of support.
Speaking at the front door of his white- fronted Victorian terraced home in Cheltenham, Mr Widdecombe said: “My thanks go to everybody who has sent messages of condolences.
“But we are not going to say anything further at this stage. Thank you.”
