Mystic Meg
{{short description|British astrologer (1942–2023)}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Mystic Meg
| image = Mystic-Meg nonfree.png
| birth_name = Margaret Anne Lake
| birth_date = {{birth date|1942|7|27|df=y}}
| birth_place = Accrington, Lancashire, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|3|9|1942|7|27|df=y}}
| education = University of Leeds
| death_place = Paddington, London, England
| occupation = Newspaper and television astrologer, racehorse owner, and breeder
| website = {{URL|mysticmeg.com}}
}}
Margaret Anne Lake (27 July 1942 – 9 March 2023), best known by her stage name Mystic Meg, was an English astrologer who had a regular astrology column in The Sun and the News of the World.
She also hosted Mystic Meg's Wheel of Destiny for Sun Bingo.{{cite web |title=End of the road at the Sun would have been no surprise to Mystic Meg |url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/end-of-the-road-at-the-sun-would-have-been-no-surprise-to-mystic-meg/ |website=Press Gazette |date=9 February 2015 |access-date=10 March 2023}}
She came to greater public attention when she hosted what became a regular item on the first broadcast of the National Lottery draw in 1994. Her image also appears on various astrology-related books, posters and merchandise.
Early life and education
Mystic Meg was born Margaret Anne Lake on 27 July 1942, in Accrington, Lancashire, to Bill Lake, an RAF aircrewman, and his wife Millicent (née Howard).{{cite web |url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/612641 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070108200940/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/612641 |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 January 2007 |title=BFI | Film & TV Database | Mystic Meg |publisher=Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk |access-date=18 November 2011}}{{cite web |last=Lynch |first=Niamh |date=9 March 2023 |title=Mystic Meg, one of Britain's most famous astrologers, dies aged 80 |url=https://news.sky.com/story/mystic-meg-one-of-britains-most-famous-astrologers-dies-aged-80-12829359 |access-date=9 March 2023 |publisher=Sky News}}{{cite news |author=Telegraph Obituaries |title=Mystic Meg, astrologer with The Sun and News of the World who predicted National Lottery winners on TV – obituary |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2023/03/09/mystic-meg-astrologer-sun-news-world-who-predicted-national/ |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=9 March 2023 |access-date=9 March 2023 |issn=0307-1235 |language=en-GB}} Of Romani heritage, she grew up in Accrington and was taught astrology by her grandmother. Her mother formed a new relationship before her father's demobilisation in 1946, and the marriage ended. Meg never saw her father after her parents parted.
Meg studied English at the University of Leeds, and then became a sub-editor at the News of the World, rising to become deputy editor of its weekend colour supplement Sunday. In the 1980s, she became the paper's regular astrologer.{{cite web |last=Howarth |first=Rachel |date=12 July 2020 |title=The untold story of Lancashire TV psychic Mystic Meg |url=https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/surprisingly-ordinary-life-lancashire-tv-18578936 |website=LancsLive}}
Career
From 1994 to 2000, Mystic Meg appeared weekly on The National Lottery Live in 'Mystic Meg Predicts', a 45-second reading segment, during which Meg attempted to predict facts about the future winner.{{cite news |last=Lambert |first=Helena |date=9 March 2023 |title=TV and newspaper astrologer Mystic Meg dies aged 80 |language=en-GB |work=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/03/09/margaret-lake-mystic-meg-dies-dead-national-lottery-astrologer/ |access-date=9 March 2023 |issn=0307-1235}} Comedian Brian Conley spoofed Mystic Meg under the guise of Septic Peg, a character on The Brian Conley Show, with Meg even appearing alongside his parody.{{cite book |last=Nunn |first=Gary |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1263873106 |title=The Psychic Tests A deep dive into the world of believers and sceptics. |date=2021 |publisher=Pantera Press |isbn=978-0-6487489-3-9 |location=La Vergne |oclc=1263873106}}{{cite web |title=Brian Conley – In Conversation |url=https://www.beyondthetitle.co.uk/portfolio/brian-conley/ |access-date=9 March 2023 |website=Beyond The Title |language=en-GB}} Upon her death, her agent paid tribute claiming that, in Britain, her name became synonymous with foretelling the future, to the extent that the answer "I'm not Mystic Meg" would be used by everyone from people in the street to politicians to evade questions about future events.{{cite web |first=Steven |last=McIntosh |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64900348 |title=Mystic Meg: Astrologer dies aged 80 |publisher=BBC News |date=9 March 2023 |accessdate=9 March 2023}}
In April 2015, Meg became the face of bookmaker Gala Coral Group's Grand National "You're Guaranteed a Fortune" marketing campaign. Images of Meg and her crystal ball featured in all of Coral's 1,850 shops via window posters and Coral TV.{{cite web|url=http://www.thedrum.com/news/2015/04/07/coral-teams-mystic-meg-grand-national-campaign |title=Coral teams with Mystic Meg for Grand National campaign |publisher=TheDrum.com |access-date=22 April 2015}}
Meg owned a number of racehorses{{cite web |last=Miller |first=Compton |date=23 January 2006 |title=Inside Story: The big stars of astrology |url=http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article340468.ece |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705150702/http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article340468.ece |archive-date=5 July 2008 |access-date=18 November 2011 |work=The Independent}} under the company name Mystic Meg Limited, based in Bedford.{{cite web |url=http://www.companiesgate.co.uk/MYSTIC+MEG+LIMITED.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323023132/http://www.companiesgate.co.uk/MYSTIC+MEG+LIMITED.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 March 2008 |title=MYSTIC MEG LIMITED | Companies House Webcheck |publisher=Companiesgate.co.uk |access-date=18 November 2011}} The horses include Astrodonna,{{cite web|url=http://www.irish-racing.com/v3horseinfo?prv=4&prt=283553 |title=All Previous Runs for Horse Astrodonna (GB) |publisher=irishracing.com |access-date=18 November 2011}} Astroangel{{cite web |url=http://www.racingpost.co.uk/darley/darley_horse_form.sd?horse_id=660397 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323043607/http://www.racingpost.co.uk/darley/darley_horse_form.sd?horse_id=660397 |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 March 2008 |title=Astroangel |work=Racing Post |date=2 June 2011 |access-date=18 November 2011}} and Astronova, and other horses with celestial names. Her horses were trained by Mark Tompkins from the mid-1990s until 2019 and then by James Eustace. The most successful horse she owned was Astrocharm, which won the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood in 2004, and she also bred racehorses.{{cite web |last=Milnes |first=David |title='She was the most marvellous woman' – astrologer and owner-breeder Mystic Meg dies aged 80 |url=https://www.racingpost.com/news/britain/she-was-the-most-marvellous-woman-astrologer-and-owner-breeder-mystic-meg-dies-aged-80-a1GSK4d9inss/ |work=Racing Post |date=9 March 2023 |access-date=10 March 2023}}
In 2015, Meg launched a website featuring horoscopes, personalised readings, and a telephone hotline hosted by psychics.{{cite web|url=http://www.mysticmeg.com |title=MysticMeg.co.uk}} She left The Sun on 2 January 2015.
Personal life and death
Meg lived in Notting Hill with her seven cats. She died from influenza on 9 March 2023 at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London, aged 80.{{cite news |last=Stolworthy |first=Jacob |title=Mystic Meg death: TV astrologer dies, aged 80 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/mystic-meg-death-cause-horoscope-b2297196.html |work=The Independent |date=9 March 2023 |access-date=9 March 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.mysticmeg.com/ Official website]
- {{IMDb name|1245263}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mystic Meg}}
Category:20th-century British astrologers
Category:21st-century astrologers
Category:Alumni of the University of Leeds
Category:Deaths from influenza in the United Kingdom
Category:English racehorse owners and breeders
Category:English Romani people
Category:Infectious disease deaths in England
Category:News of the World people