The 42-year-old disappeared six days ago. Friends said he was "vulnerable" in the aftermath of the death of his fiancee Natasha Collins in January.

An inquest earlier this month revealed she was found dead in the bath with 60% burns after taking cocaine and sleeping tablets.

Speight's father, Oliver, said he had lost a "wonderful" son. He said: "Mark was a wonderful son and brother to his family and he will be very sadly missed. We need to come to terms with our grief at the loss of both Mark and Natasha and would ask that you would respectfully afford us the privacy to grieve privately during this tragic time."

He thanked his son's friends and colleagues at the BBC for their support throughout his career and during his recent troubles.
Lisa Ratcliff, a close friend, said she was "deeply affected" by the tragedy. "Mark was a wonderful man, a gifted artist with a warm and gentle personality, who touched the lives of so many people with his unique skills and talents," she said.

British Transport Police said officers were called to a remote area of Paddington station in west London after a man's body was discovered.

The circumstances surrounding the death are subject to an ongoing investigation, but police confirmed he was not hit by a train and they are currently treating the death as unexplained.

Miss Collins, 31, was found dead on January 3 in the bath of the north-west London flat she shared with Speight.

The presenter told police the couple had been "partying" and had taken cocaine and sleeping pills as well as drinking wine and vodka.



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