Friends and colleagues shocked at Kristian Digby’s death
Friends and colleagues have paid tribute to Kristian Digby after the gay BBC presenter was found dead yesterday.
The 32-year-old star of programmes such as To Buy or Not To Buy and House Swap was pronounced dead at his Stratford home, after being discovered at 7.45am.
Police are treating his death as “unexplained” and a post-mortem is to be carried out today.
The Sun reported today that sources said he died while practising auto-erotic asphyxiation, where participants restrict their breath for sexual arousal.
His To Buy or Not to Buy co-presenter Dominic Littlewood told the BBC: “There’s not a bad word I can say about Kristian.
“He was a lovely fun, nice, jolly, decent person.”
Digby’s agent and friend Jo Wander added: “I am devastated by the loss.
“He was a lovely guy and a very talented presenter and director.
“I will miss him hugely and my thoughts at this time are with his family and his many friends. He will be sorely missed.”
Digby was openly gay and was a supporter of charities such as the Albert Kennedy Trust.
He presented That Gay Show on BBC Choice and appeared in Simon Fanshawe’s The Trouble with Gay Men in 2006.
Fellow presenter and friend Julian Bennett described him as a “gentleman”, adding: “He made gay acceptable to the middle class and that was a tough thing to do.”
Before turning to television presenting, Digby was a young film maker. As a teenager, he directed the short film, Words of Deception which eventually won him a junior BAFTA in 1997. In 1998 he won the Melbourne Film Festival Best Student Film with Last Train to Demise.
In a statement, the BBC said: “Kristian was a much-loved and talented presenter for BBC Daytime.
“He brought a real sense of energy and warmth to all the shows he presented for us and will be sorely missed.
“Our thoughts are with his family at this very difficult time.”
The LGBT homeless charity Albert Kennedy Trust, of which Digby was a patron, has also paid tribute to him.
In a statement, it said: “Kristian was an incredible supporter of our cause and had genuine empathy for our young people and the work we do.
“It is thanks to Kristian’s talent as a performer that we were able to raise much needed funds at our events where he played the role of both ambassador and auctioneer.
“He will be missed by all at AKT and our thoughts and sympathy goes out to his friends and family.”
