Eggheads star CJ de Mooi arrested over murder
The TV star has been arrested over the death of a homeless man.
Eggheads star CJ de Mooi has been arrested at Heathrow airport on suspicion of murder.
The star – who was axed from Eggheads earlier this year – is wanted over a death in Amsterdam in the 1980s, which he recalled in his autobiography.
He wrote that he believed he had killed a homeless man, who he threw into a canal in self defence.
“He caught me on the wrong day and I just snapped,” de Mooi wrote.
“This is the one incident of my life I do regret.
“I was in a phone box and this old guy, obviously a massive drug user, came up behind me with a knife in his hand,” he added.
“He told me to turn around, open my bag and give him whatever was inside.
“I punched him so hard in the face, knocked the knife out of his hand and threw him in the canal.
“I fully suspect I killed him. I’ve no idea what happened to him.”
The Metropolitan Police confirmed de Mooi’s arrest in a statement.
“A man was arrested at Heathrow Airport on Wednesday, 21 September on a European Arrest Warrant issued in the Netherlands in relation to an allegation of murder,” the statement said.
“Joseph Connagh (de Mooi’s real name), 46, self employed, of Monmouthshire appears in custody at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 22 September.”
De Mooi will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today.
The gay star caused controversy last year with claims that he was “banned” from Strictly Come Dancing because he wanted to dance with a man.
However, the BBC insisted it had not offered him a place on the series.
The quizzer appeared on Eggheads since the show started back in 2003.
In April, De Mooi also discussed being investigated by police over sexual assault allegations.
