Annette Kilgore, 69, who appeared on Channel 4's popular reality show A Place in the Sun, is missing and feared dead after devastating wildfires ripped through the village of Bédar in Almería, Andalucía, southern Spain. The blaze, which erupted on Thursday, July 9, destroyed homes and claimed at least 13 lives, with authorities working to identify victims through DNA testing as many bodies were burned beyond recognition.
Couple Moved to Spain After TV Appearance
Kilgore and her husband, Malcolm Timbrell, 70, relocated from Cornwall to Bédar after appearing on the programme in 2023. The show, which helps Britons find overseas properties, featured the couple as they searched for their dream home with a budget of £200,000. They eventually purchased a stone cottage in Bédar for £200,000 after negotiations, with Timbrell declaring, "I couldn't be happier at the moment."
Husband Recalls Losing Contact
Timbrell told the BBC that he lost contact with his wife and around a dozen friends and neighbours as flames rapidly approached their home. "We have 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." He added, "We are just waiting now for DNA clarification. And after that, I will probably just fall apart."
Wildfire Conditions
The wildfires were fueled by scorching temperatures reaching 44°C, bone-dry terrain, and powerful winds, creating extreme conditions that caused the flames to tear through the area. The summer heatwave has exacerbated fire risks across southern Spain.
Other British Victims
Annette is not the only Briton unaccounted for in Bédar. Expat couple Pete and Fran Gillam have already been identified among the victims. Fran sent a message to her daughter Danielle Gillam-Kirton on Thursday evening saying they were evacuating, but all contact was lost shortly after. In a heartbreaking social media post, Danielle confirmed, "We are heartbroken to share that we have received confirmation from the police that Mum and Dad did not survive the fire." Other victims include a Spanish man and his British wife, a French woman, a Belgian man, and a 93-year-old British woman who died in hospital on Sunday, July 12.
Dream Home Turned to Ashes
In their A Place in the Sun episode, presenter Leah Charles-King helped the couple find their dream home. Annette, who retired from a career in mental health, said she was eager to embrace the Spanish way of life. The couple's stone cottage, which they fell in love with for its mountain-top location, has now been scorched by the flames. Timbrell described their life together as "amazing," but the tragedy has brought it to a sudden halt.
