Traitors winner was on luxury cruise where grandad, 60, died in 'stag do fight'

Daily Mirror

08-05-2025

Beloved grandad James Messham, 60, was reportedly on a stag do when he was killed in an "altercation" after the MSC Virtuosa set sail from Southampton for a two-night mini-cruise
A winner from popular television show the Traitors was onboard a luxury cruise ship where a grandad was killed during an alleged stag do brawl.
Fans of Harry Clark, who won the BBC show last year, told how they had met the TV star hours before "carnage" unfolded on the MSC Virtuosa on Saturday evening. Beloved grandad James Messham, 60, was reportedly on a stag do when he died following an "altercation" after the ship set sail from Southampton for a two-night mini-cruise. The Virtuosa was still in British waters when he died, so it turned back and docked in Southampton, where Hampshire Police boarded and arrested a 57-year-old man on suspicion of murder. He was released on bail on Tuesday.
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Passenger Lynda Hardiman-Pearce said she had met the Traitors star before witnessing the violence. "It was carnage on the ship there were a lot of people drinking a lot. I thought I was a party animal until I saw this lot. People were jolly but it was a bit like a modern Wild West with stag and hen dos everywhere," she told the Metro.
"Harry from Traitors was on board with a big group of family but they were low key and just having a nice time together. Harry was lovely, a very nice guy."
Mr Clark was said to be "very shocked and saddened" by the death and was "thinking of the individual's family and friends:, the Sun reports.
Lynda said she first realised something was wrong when a man tried to push in front of her at the bar. "The bloke said 'I'm sorry but I need to get my son a drink. He's an army medic and he just gave CPR to a man but he didn't make it'. It was a shock but I just assumed it was natural causes, staff didn't say anything to us or anything.
"Later on the cruise, a woman said a bloke who she had been dancing with in a group had died. She was very shocked I think the guy who died was on a stag do. The whole experience was like a nightmare, just really surreal," Lynda added. "The atmosphere on board was happy but it was chaos with half drunk drinks everywhere. It was not exactly the luxury experience promised!"
Reports suggested the men involved in the incident were part of a party of 20. Police enquiries are ongoing, and passengers who may have witnessed the incident are being urged to come forward with any information.
A Hampshire Constabulary spokesperson said: "Officers are continuing their inquiries into the death of a 60-year-old man from West Sussex on board the MSC Virtuosa, which happened around 8.30pm on Saturday (May 3). A 57-year-old man arrested as part of our inquiries has been released on bail. We remain keen to hear from anyone who was aboard the ship, which had departed Southampton around 6pm on Saturday and was still in British waters at the time."
A spokesperson for MSC Cruises said: 'Following an incident on board our ship, the relevant authorities were contacted, and we are cooperating fully with their investigations. We are providing full support to those impacted."