Kristian Digby

Digby was born in Torquay, Devon{{cite web |title=Kristian Digby obituary |date=2010-03-04 |website=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617165545/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2010/mar/04/kristian-digby-obituary |archive-date=2018-06-17 |url-status=live |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2010/mar/04/kristian-digby-obituary}} to parents who were property developers.{{cite news|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/891586/|title=Digby, Kristian|publisher=British Film Institute|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071115103101/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/891586/|archivedate=15 November 2007|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/homes/tv_and_radio/presenterbiogs_d.shtml#kristian_digby/|title=Presenter biographies|publisher=BBC}} He attended Bramdean School in Exeter, where he battled with severe dyslexia, and graduated from the University of Westminster with a 2:1 in film and photography.{{cite news|title=Celebrities tell us about their first year at university|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2008/aug/14/freshers.students|work=The Guardian|date=14 August 2008}} He later presented a documentary for the BBC entitled Hiding the Truth: I Can't Read in which he returned to the school.BBC News, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8544993.stm Tributes to 'much-loved' TV presenter Kristian Digby], 2 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-02.The Daily Mirror, [https://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2010/03/02/kristian-digby-dead-to-buy-or-not-to-buy-presenter-s-body-found-at-flat-115875-22078949/ Kristian Digby dead: To Buy Or Not To Buy presenter's body found at flat], 2 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-02. In 1997, Digby's film Words of Deception won him a Junior BAFTA. The following year, his film Last Train to Demise, which featured actress and model Lucy Perkins, won the Melbourne Film Festival's Best Student Film award.{{cite news|url=http://www.nci-management.com/clients/kristiandigby.shtml/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080122045147/http://www.nci-management.com/clients/kristiandigby.shtml/|archivedate=22 January 2008|title=Kristian Digby|publisher=NCI Management Ltd}}

Digby began his television presenting career for ITV presenting Nightlife. Prior to this he covered for LBC's TV critic Chris Stacey on LBC's evening shows, Sunday Night and One Night Strand. At around the same time, he directed television programmes Homefront, Fantasy Rooms, She's Got Have It which also featured actress and model Lucy Perkins, Girls on Top (Not be confused with the 1980s sitcom) and The O-Zone. In 2001, Digby presented That Gay Show on BBC Choice.{{cite news|url=http://www.rainbownetwork.com/Fun/detail.asp?iData=13835&iChannel=20&nChannel=Fun#gallery |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927224041/http://www.rainbownetwork.com/Fun/detail.asp?iData=13835&iChannel=20&nChannel=Fun |archivedate=27 September 2007 |title=TW:Kristian Digby |publisher=Rainbow Network |date=7 October 2002 |url-status=dead }}

Beginning in 2003, Digby presented various programmes for the BBC, including To Buy or Not to Buy. In addition, he has presented Uncharted Territory, Holiday, Trading Up, Living in the Sun, House Swap, and Open House. In the September 2006 edition of AXM he appeared nude in front of kids for charity.

Digby was a presenter of morning TV BBC shows:

• Open House – Along with his team, he made over properties that are not selling through the traditional estate agent route, after the make over they host an open house for possible buyers.
• Buy It, Sell It, Bank It – The show follows two property developers at a property auction, the winner is followed for the rest of the show as he or she alters the house. The loser at the auction gives his or her thoughts of the improvements at the end of the show.
• To Build or Not to Build – In 2008 Digby decided to build his own house, designed by Neu Architects.{{cite news |title=Kristian Digby: Here's one I built earlier |last=Hewitson |first=Jessie |date=2 August 2009 |newspaper=The Sunday Times |url=http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/buying_and_selling/article6734064.ece}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} The BBC decided to follow this and also draw in other people who have done something similar with Digby interviewing them. The premise is similar to Channel 4's Grand Designs, but on a smaller scale.

In 1997 Digby's film Words of Deception won a junior Bafta and in 1998 his short film Last Train to Demise won Best Student Film at the Melbourne Film Festival.{{cite news |title=Kristian Digby, the BBC presenter, may have died in sex game gone wrong |last=Roberts |first=Laura |date=2 March 2010 |newspaper=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/7351843/Kristian-Digby-the-BBC-presenter-may-have-died-in-sex-game-gone-wrong.html}}

Digby devoted a large amount of time to charity work. He supported both dyslexia charities, as well as LGBT charities. Two charities he was involved with were The Albert Kennedy Trust, which supports homeless LGBT people and the Terrence Higgins Trust which supports people living with HIV and AIDS.{{Cite web|url=https://www.akt.org.uk/|title=The Albert Kennedy Trust {{!}} Home|website=The Albert Kennedy Trust|language=en|access-date=2018-12-17}} After Digby died, Tim Sigsworth, chief executive of the Albert Kennedy Trust, said: "The young people cared for by the Trust were very close to Kristian's heart. The money donated in honour of his memory will go towards the newly named Kristian Digby Young Person of the Year Award which will be given out at the Albert Awards in London and Manchester. Donations will also directly improve the lives and life chances of young LGBT people who are facing homelessness after rejection by their families".

Digby was openly gay.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/7348287/BBC-presenter-Kristian-Digby-found-dead-in-unexplained-circumstances.html|title=BBC presenter Kristian Digby found dead in 'unexplained' circumstances|last=Blake|first=Heidi|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=2010-03-01|access-date=2018-12-17|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}} He discovered his sexuality when he was studying for his degree in "Film, video and photographic arts" at the University of Westminster (1995 to 1998).{{cite news |title=My first year: Nervous about starting university? Mira Katbamna asks a few people who've been there and done that for their best advice |last=Katbamna |first=Mira |date=14 August 2008 |newspaper=The Observer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2008/aug/14/freshers.students}}

In 2006, he appeared in Simon Fanshawe's The Trouble with Gay Men and bemoaned the lack of gay role models, explaining how he refused to camp it up on TV, although he was known for his pole dancing skills excerpted on That Gay Show.{{cite news |title=BBC venture seeks to corner the gay market |last=Wells |first=Matt |date=11 November 2002 |newspaper=The Observer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/feb/17/gayrights.world}}

Digby's partner, Jason Englebrecht, returned from Africa on 28 February 2010, and tried to call Digby, but was unsuccessful in making contact or entering his home in Newham, London. On the morning of 1 March, Englebrecht called Digby's neighbour (and tenant) who entered the two-bedroom house that Digby had built and lived in. She found Digby dead on his bed at 7:45 am on 1 March 2010. An ambulance was called; paramedics declared him dead at the scene.{{cite news |title=TV presenter Kristian Digby died after 'solo sex game went wrong' |last=Jenkins |first=Russell |date=2 March 2010 |newspaper=Times Online |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article7046866.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615070825/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article7046866.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 June 2011}}{{cite news |title=BBC television presenter Kristian Digby found dead: Circumstances of To Buy or Not to Buy presenter's death are 'unexplained', police say |author=Press Association |date=1 March 2010 |newspaper=The Observer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/mar/01/kristian-digby-tv-presenter-dead}}{{cite news |title=Family shocked by TV host's 'sex game' death |author=Press Association |date=2 March 2010 |newspaper=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/bbc-daytime-tv-host-kristian-digby-found-dead-at-flat-1914470.html}} Digby's body was identified by his mother, Paula Dubois. Digby's post-mortem examination was held on 2 March 2010; the results were inconclusive.[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/family-shocked-by-tv-host-kristian-digbys-sex-game-death-1914470.html Family shocked by TV host Kristian Digby's 'sex game' death] The police were satisfied that there was no third-party involvement and the press reported his death was caused by auto-erotic asphyxiation.{{cite news |title=UPDATE: Kristian Digby's post-mortem is "inconclusive" |last=Lloyd |first=Peter |date=2 March 2010 |newspaper=Pink Paper |accessdate=4 March 2010 |url=http://news.pinkpaper.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=2505|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716163349/http://news.pinkpaper.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=2505|archivedate=16 July 2011}}{{cite news|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/latest/2010/03/02/family-shock-over-sex-game-death-115875-22080850/ |title=Family shock over 'sex game' death |newspaper=The Mirror |date=11 August 2009 |accessdate=3 March 2010}}{{Cite web |date=2010-03-02 |title=Family shocked by TV host Kristian Digby's 'sex game' death |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/family-shocked-by-tv-host-kristian-digby-s-sex-game-death-1914470.html |access-date=2022-03-02 |website=The Independent |language=en}}

An inquest opened on 4 March 2010 at Walthamstow Coroner's Court; both his parents attended.{{cite web|url=http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/161752/Mother-s-tears-for-Kristian-Digby|title=Mother's tears for TV Kristian Digby|publisher=The Express|date=5 March 2010|accessdate=6 March 2010}} On 9 November 2010, the coroner recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11718414|title=BBC TV presenter Kristian Digby's death 'misadventure'|publisher=BBC News|date=9 November 2010|accessdate=9 November 2010}}

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Category:1977 births

Category:2010 deaths

Category:Accidental deaths in London

Category:Alumni of the University of Westminster

Category:BBC television presenters

Category:British LGBTQ broadcasters

Category:English television directors

Category:English television presenters

Category:LGBTQ television directors

Category:Mass media people from Torquay

Category:People educated at Bramdean School

Category:Television personalities from Devon

Category:Television presenters with dyslexia