Ann Widdecombe's death is now being treated as a murder investigation, Devon and Cornwall Police have announced. The Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother participant and former minister was found dead yesterday at the age of 78.
Detective Chief Inspector Ilona Rosson said: "This is an extremely tragic incident and our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of Ann Widdecombe at this difficult time.
"Our murder enquiry is in its early stages but moving at a significant pace. We are deploying all of the necessary resources to find out exactly what has happened and to locate the person responsible who we believe to be a white male."
They added: "I would appeal to anyone who may have information about this incident, however insignificant it may seem, to come forward and speak with us.
"We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the vicinity of Haytor Vale, Haytor, or anyone with CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage which could assist with our investigation.
"We have an increased uniformed police presence in the area to both support the investigation and provide reassurance to residents. Anyone with concerns can speak with our officers at the scene."
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"We will release further information when we are able to do so," they continued. "In the meantime I would ask people not to speculate about what might have happened, particularly on social media. This is not only potentially harmful to our investigation but also deeply distressing for family and friends of Ann Widdecombe."
Per BBC News, the police statement also confirmed that Widdecombe was "located deceased" at her home yesterday (Thursday, 9 July) morning having "sustained serious injuries".
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has posted on X, saying: "I have spoken to the Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall police today. The Home Office stands ready to provide whatever support they need with their ongoing investigation.
"I urge everyone to avoid speculation and allow the police investigation to progress."
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the death is a "huge, huge loss", adding: "This is a moment where we rise above any political differences."
He urged the public to help "identify the individual suspected and make sure he's arrested as quickly as possible".
Before this latest development was announced, Widdecombe's Strictly partner Anton du Beke shared a tribute on Instagram earlier today, saying: "I had the most brilliant time with Ann on Strictly Come Dancing. She became a real friend. She was fun, she was upbeat, she was positive, she was supportive, she was game - she wanted to enter into the spirit of the whole thing and we had an incredible time together.
"On behalf of myself and the whole @bbcstrictly family, we are devastated by the news and our thoughts go out to her nearest and dearest and her whole family. We will all remember her fondly and miss her."
Shaun is an Evening News Editor at Digital Spy, with over a decade of experience reporting on all things pop culture. He has written for outlets including Metro, Attitude, Huffington Post, The Mirror, Yahoo!, Pink News and Express Online, specialising in TV, movies, soaps, music and LGBTQ+ issues. He is also a BAFTA Rocliffe-winning scriptwriter, having written episodes of the soap Hollyoaks, the official Steps musical Here & Now and multiple Offie Award-nominated plays. He studied English Literature and Drama at the University of East Anglia, and will happily talk at length about Desperate Housewives to anyone who'll listen.
