Host Leah Charles-King Pays Emotional Tribute
A Place in the Sun host Leah Charles-King has paid a moving tribute to one of her former househunters who is feared to be dead. The 70-year-old Malcolm Timbrell and his wife Annette Kilgore, 69, appeared on the Channel 4 show in 2022, searching for their dream holiday home in the mountains of Bédar, Almeria province, Spain.
The village was consumed by flames on the evening of July 9, leaving 13 people dead. Malcolm became separated from his wife and 12 of their friends and neighbours as flames raced towards their home. Authorities in Spain are now using DNA to identify those unable to escape the blaze.
Leah's Heartfelt Instagram Post
On July 16, Leah took to Instagram, sharing a montage of clips of Annette and Malcolm during their house hunt. She wrote, "What I'm about to share with you is utterly devastating. Life is short. Chase the dream. Take the chance. Build the life that makes you happy."
Leah continued, "For me, A Place in the Sun has never just been about property. It's about helping people take a chance on the life they've always wanted. In 2022, I had the privilege of helping Annette and Malcolm find the retirement home of their dreams in the mountains of Bedar, Spain. It was a joy to watch them begin a new chapter together, and from everything I knew, they built a wonderful life there and became part of the local community."
She added, "I'm heartbroken that Annette lost her life in the devastating wildfires. My deepest condolences go to Malcolm, Annette's family and friends, and everyone affected by this heartbreaking tragedy." Leah concluded, "None of us knows what tomorrow will bring. If there's a life you've been dreaming about, don't wait for the perfect time to start living it. Rest in peace, Annette."
Outpouring of Support from Fans
Fans expressed their condolences in the comments. One wrote, "So sorry for your loss, Malcolm. Try to continue living your dream. Annette will be right by your side in spirit." Another said, "This is so devastatingly sad. The episode they were on was repeated not long ago and I recognised them from the 1st showing. They had a dream to live with their cats in Spain and now this tragedy has happened. My nan died in a fire at her home, so I can partially understand the shock and utter disbelief. My thoughts are with Malcolm and all of their family and friends. RIP Annette."
A third added, "Crying reading this. devastating. Love and prayers to Annette and her family." Someone else wrote, "So sorry to hear, it is devastating. Sending loads of love to the family and to you."
Malcolm's Heartbreaking Interview
Malcolm told the BBC, broadcast during the BBC News at Six on July 13, that he and Annette had an "amazing life together and now it's stopped." He said, "If we had done the sensible thing and gone the other way and let our cats die, we both would be alive. But when you've got animals, you don't think like that. We are just waiting now for DNA clarification. And after that, I will probably just fall apart."
A Place in the Sun is available to stream on Channel 4.
