Gyles Brandreth recalls unusual health advice he received from ‘remarkable’ Michael Mosley
Gyles Brandreth has paid tribute to the late TV doctor Michael Mosley, who was found dead after going missing on the Greek island of Symi.
The TV star’s body was discovered in a rocky area close to Agia Marina beach on Sunday (9 June) following a major five-day search across the island.
Mosley, who died aged 67, was a regular medical expert appearing on This Morning and a host on the popular BBC podcast Just One Thing. He also fronted the series Trust Me... I’m a Doctor, as well as being the pioneer of the Fast 800 and 5:2 intermittent fasting diets.
As This Morning hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard paid tribute to the late TV doctor on Monday’s instalment of the show (10 June), broadcaster Brandreth remembered Mosley as a “lovely human being” who “made a real difference”.
Brandreth, 76, reflected on the health advice Mosley gave him after he suffered a fall and broke his arm two years ago.
He said: “He had an impact on millions of people. Even me, when I broke my arm a couple of years ago, he said to me: ‘You’ve reached that age when you start falling over...”
Brandreth recalled Mosley telling him to stand on one leg each time he cleans his teeth, in the hope it would improve his balance and stability after his fall.
“He told me: ‘When you clean your teeth, stand on one leg.’”
The broadcaster said he adheres to that advice twice per day, and hasn’t fallen over since.
“I do it every morning and every night – and I do it because of Michael. He was a remarkable person,” he said.
Elsewhere on the programme, Dr Phil Hammond, Mosley’s co-presenter on BBC series Trust Me, I’m A Doctor, credited Mosley for giving him his first-ever TV break.
“He came up with the idea of Trust Me, I’m A Doctor to focus on lifestyle medicine,” said Hammond, reflecting on Mosley’s passion for creating the show. “Back then, he was like an enthusiastic child, he would go down a rabbit hole and come up with little snippets of information, like, your longevity could be predicted by how long you could stand on one leg with your eyes shut.”
Hammond praised Mosley for participating in scientific experiments himself, such as infecting himself with a number of parasites and tapeworms in an effort to understand how they affect the human body, back in 2014.
“As well as being such a good communicator, he made himself the subject of the story. He was very open about his diabetes, he would self-experiment, and that’s what made his communication so enthralling,” he said.
On Wednesday (5 June), Mosley left his wife and friends on Saint Nikolas beach at 1.30pm to walk back to their house in searing heat, with an umbrella but no mobile phone. He was seen on CCTV in the village of Pedi 30 minutes later, shortly before entering a mountain path.
After extensive searches involving helicopters, dogs and drones, Mosley’s body was eventually discovered on Sunday morning (9 June) after being spotted by television cameras from a boat carrying the island’s mayor.
His body was found just metres from the shoreline, by the perimeter fence separating the Agia Marina resort from the surrounding wilderness, in an area said to have been searched many times in recent days, situated near a network of tunnels known locally as “The Abyss”.
Confirming the death of her “wonderful, funny, kind and brilliant husband”, Dr Clare Bailey Mosley said: “We’re taking comfort in the fact that he so very nearly made it. He did an incredible climb, took the wrong route and collapsed where he couldn’t be easily seen by the extensive search team.
“Michael was an adventurous man, it’s part of what made him so special... I feel so lucky to have our children and my amazing friends. Most of all, I feel so lucky to have had this life with Michael.”
