Mark Speight committed suicide by hanging himself, a coroner has ruled. The 42-year-old children's TV presenter was found hanging by his shoelaces at Paddington railway station, in west London, last month. Coroner Dr Paul Knapman said Speight was 'devastated' by the death of his 31-year-old fiancee Natasha Collins in January. Westminster Coroner's Court was told he tried to visit a counsellor on the day of his disappearance, but she was not home due to a mix up over dates. The BBC SMart art show presenter made his way to the station and hanged himself from a railing on the roof of an office building, the inquest heard. A suicide note to his family was found in his pocket and further evidence he intended to take his life was later found in his journal. Speight was reported missing by Ms Collin's mother Carmen on April 7 after he failed to meet her for coffee in the West End. A search was launched by the Metropolitan Police who issued a CCTV image of Speight captured at Queen's Park Tube station on April 7. Two patrolling police officers spoke to Speight in Chamberlayne Road, north-west London, for about five minutes shortly after 1pm that day. One officer said he appeared vacant, pausing at length to answer questions, but turned down offers of help. In a statement read to the court, PC Andrew Durrant said: "He appeared to be someone with a lot on his mind and deep in thought."
