A 28-year-old man has been arrested in South Yorkshire in connection with the death of former Conservative MP and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Ann Widdecombe. The suspect was taken into custody on Friday evening on suspicion of murder, Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed.
Arrest Details
The man, described as a white British national, was arrested at an address in South Yorkshire with support from Counter Terrorism Policing North East and South Yorkshire Police. Police stressed that there is currently no information to suggest the incident is terrorism-related, and Devon and Cornwall Police retain primacy of the investigation.
Earlier, a 26-year-old man arrested on Friday was released from custody on Saturday and is no longer a suspect, police said.
Discovery of Widdecombe's Body
Widdecombe, 78, was found dead in her kitchen at her remote Dartmoor home in Haytor, Devon, on Thursday, July 9. Police were called by the ambulance service at around 11:40am. She had sustained serious head injuries and was discovered in a pool of blood. A murder investigation was launched immediately.
Detectives believe the attack occurred around 12:30pm on Wednesday, July 8, approximately 24 hours before her body was found. Widdecombe had been scheduled to appear via Zoom on Channel 5's Matt Allwright show at 1pm that day. WhatsApp messages show she exchanged texts with a producer from 12:14pm, but stopped responding after 12:19pm, when she was asked to join the call. The producer sent multiple messages and made unanswered calls, later contacting her agent.
Community Reaction
Neighbour Susan Coysh told the BBC: 'I'm shocked. In this lovely setting where we live… I can't see why anybody would want to hurt her… it hasn't sunk in yet.' She described Widdecombe as 'a character and a lovely lady' who typically kept to herself. Another neighbour, Peter Cornthwaite, said he saw a van arrive in the early hours of the day she died, with a white man dressed in hiking clothes.
Widdecombe's management, Cloud9 Management, said they were 'absolutely devastated' and urged anyone with information to contact police.
Investigation Ongoing
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said investigators remain open-minded about the motive but it is too early to comment further. Outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urged against speculation, saying it is vital to 'rise above any political differences'.
