Missing British TV presenter Michael Mosley’s wife has paid tribute to her husband after a body was found in Greece, saying it was “devastating to have lost Michael, my wonderful, funny, kind and brilliant husband.”
Mosley, who gives health advice on British media, disappeared on Wednesday after going for a walk alone on the Greek island of Symi.
The process of removing the body in order to be transferred to nearby Rhodes for post-mortem and identification has begun, police spokeswoman Konstantia Dimoglidou told CNN via text.
The police, fire brigade, coast guard and volunteers have spent days searching land and sea for the doctor, who did not take his phone with him. Police had also investigated reports that he spoke to locals during his walk.
On Friday, the search operation was said to be focused on the Pedi area of the island where a woman reported seeing him on Wednesday. The beach near where the body was found is not far from that area.
“We had an incredibly lucky life together,” Mosley’s wife, Dr. Claire Bailey, said in a statement. “We loved each other very much and were so happy together.”
She said her husband “did an incredible climb, took the wrong route and collapsed where he couldn’t be easily seen by the extensive search team.”
The television doctor is known for UK documentary shows such as Channel 4’s “Michael Mosley: Who Made Britain Fat?” and the BBC’s “Trust Me, I’m A Doctor.”
Mosley popularized a type of intermittent fasting known as the 5:2 diet, and authored a book on the fast 800 diet, which focuses on time-restricted eating for rapid weight loss. His wife, wrote a recipe book as part of “The Fast 800” book series.
The 67-year-old broadcaster also appeared on British factual entertainment programmes such as BBC’s “The One Show” and ITV’s “This Morning,” and is a columnist for British newspaper the Daily Mail.
He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2002 for outstanding non-fiction special (informational) after executive producing the 2001 BBC mini-series “The Human Face,” which examined the science behind facial beauty, expression, and fame.
The father of four deliberately infested himself with parasites to learn more about them for BBC’s 2014 programme “Infested! Living with Parasites.”
Mosley and his wife, who host theatre tours together, last month attended the literary Hay Festival in Wales, where he presented a special edition of his BBC Radio 4 show “Just One Thing,” according to PA Media.
A spokesperson for the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said, “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Greece and are in contact with the local authorities.”
CNN’s Eve Brennan contributed to this report.