BAFTA-winning illustrator and TV producer Daniel Postgate was found dead in a shed at his home in Whitstable in June at age 61. He had recently separated from his partner of 35 years and had been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a form of blood cancer.
An inquest revealed he had struggled with illness since treatment for aplastic anaemia in 2019. The day before his death, he received an NHS letter about his diagnosis. His family said he would have “researched every word” and that the letter was “the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
Postgate left a note saying he feared his illness couldn’t be cured and urging his family to “love each other.” His brother said Daniel had battled depression for decades. The coroner concluded he took his own life.
Daniel had run Smallfilms since 2008, continuing his father’s legacy and helping revive classics like Bagpuss, which won a BAFTA in 2015. The company paid tribute, saying they were “absolutely heartbroken” by his passing.