Former reality TV star and royal friend dies after 100-foot fall from London hotel
Ben Duncan, a former Big Brother contestant who counted Prince William among his university friends, was found dead after falling from the rooftop bar of the Trafalgar St James hotel in London.
Ben Duncan, who rose to fame after his 2010 appearance on Big Brother and later presented various reality-TV programmes, maintained close ties to Prince William and Kate Middleton from their days at St Andrews. Despite a seemingly lavish lifestyle, he struggled with depression, worsened by the deaths of several friends and disappointing property investments in Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle. Ten days before his death he told his mentor Mike Hollingsworth that he felt suicidal, but the broadcaster convinced him to stay.
On October 30, Duncan fell about 100 feet from the rooftop bar of the five-star Trafalgar St James hotel, landing in Spring Gardens near Trafalgar Square. The coroner’s inquest will begin on December 8, and his estate, after debts, left £90,000 to his mother.
Why it matters
The case highlights how mental-health struggles can affect even those who appear financially successful and socially prominent.
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