TV presenter dies in horror base jumping accident in Spain
Marta Jiménez, 34, was much-loved for her positivity and infectious desire for adventure – and her chat show colleagues insist that her memory will live on.
Marta, who worked on the chat show El Hormiguero – meaning 'The Anthill' – brought excitement to the living rooms of millions of viewers around Spain.
On Sunday, at around 10:30am, she went base jumping in the Chistau Valley, near the north-eastern city of Huesca.
But the expedition went horribly wrong and Marta had an accident – the exact details of which are not yet known.
Rescue teams acted swiftly, but there was nothing they could do to save her.
A helicopter rushed to the scene where they found Marta's lifeless body.
Marta was transported to the Institute of Legal Medicine in Huesca for a post-mortem.
The host of the show, Pablo Motos, said: 'Marta has left us, the adrenaline woman, she lost her life doing what she loved most.'
The news has shaken the team behind the show as well as its audience.
Marta was an especially popular, beaming presence on TV, who is said to have celebrated each completed challenge with shouts of joy.
In October year, she starred in one of the show's most memorable moments when she jumped from a crane more than 197ft high.
Pablo reference the incredible feat in his tribute on Instagram, which read: 'We are devastated.
'But our feeling of helplessness and our sadness won't stop us from remembering her when she screamed with joy at having achieved something impossible.
'I'm sharing one of those moments with you through tears.'
Thousands of fans have also paid tribute to Marta in comments on social media.
One said: 'Your joy and vitality will always accompany us! Fly high Marta.'
Another wrote: 'I'm so sorry. A hug to all your family, friends and colleagues.'
'Best wishes to all her family, friends colleagues that loves her.
'Remember her courage and her smile.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Australian
7 hours ago
- The Australian
The Australian Wine Club: Argentine wines for a sensational barbecue
Slowly they grow together, no one quite sure which came first, until their partnership is as natural as Lennon and McCartney or Romeo and Juliet. An alchemy takes place when a region's food and wine find themselves so simpatico that somehow it feels indecent to order one without the other. The fattened lambs of northern Spain are at their best when partnering a glass of local Rioja. The bright acidity of a Loire Valley sauvignon blanc sings in combination with a goat's cheese made down the road. In Argentina, the ritual of the asado is far more than a barbecue – it's social communion, families and neighbourhoods brought together by a plate of slowly grilled meat in one hand and a glass of malbec in the other. The pairing of beef from the flat grasslands in the centre of the country and the bold reds from up in the foothills of the Andes isn't a cliche so much as a national celebration. At a point in the year when gathering around a fire is an essential ritual of the season, the quartet of Argentine reds in this week's special offer case from The Australian Wine Club is particularly timely. Wines from Mendoza feature in this week's special offer. Three are malbecs but set apart by fascinating regional differences: HJ Fabre's 2023 Patagonia Malbec (RRP $40) scored 93 points from highly respected British Master of Wine Tim Atkin; a 2020 Parcela Selecta Malbec (RRP $42) offers a superbly balanced drinking experience, while The Holdings 2024 Malbec (RRP $28) comes from a lauded bodega in the Mendoza region. Add to that another Mendoza standout, the Reservado Cabernet Franc, also from HJ Fabre, plus a case discount of 36 per cent, and the temptation to host an asado is growing by the minute. 'Every time I go there it's all about asado,' says Leo Bassano, The Australian Wine Club's Argentinian authority, who is perpetually on the hunt for Argentine vintages worth having. 'Asado is much more than a way of cooking meat. Every region has its own cuts and a special way of seasoning the meat, but it's all about the fire and a couple of drinks, and then hours and hours of just chatting and eating. 'There is a glass of malbec all the time, of course, because it's the best match.' The funny thing is that Argentines knew the value in that match for generations but most of the rest of the world had little idea, at least until some 30 years ago. 'In the 1990s, everything changed for Argentina as a wine country,' Bassano says. 'Back then Argentina was not on the worldwide map for wine, basically was not on the radar. 'There were stories of companies trying to pull out the malbec vines from the ground and they were trying to get famous consultants from around the world to grow chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon because they wanted to get into the international markets. 'Everything changed in the 1990s with winemakers from Europe who actually went there, they started consulting, they started investing and they completely changed the course of Argentina, especially with malbec.' Parcela Selecta Malbec 2020 Glinting an inkily dark purple in the glass, this offers dark red fruits on the nose with a wash of mocha, vanilla and spice. From the first sip there's a lovely texture and weight, superb balance and silky smooth tannins that would marry happily with the sort of slow-grilled meat described above. Dried herbs and aniseed provide the undertow and a lick of acidity keeps it super fresh. 14% alc, RRP $42 a bottle. SPECIALS $33.99 in any dozen, $23.99 in our Argentine dozen. HJ Fabre Reservado Cabernet Franc 2023 An increasingly interesting varietal in Argentina's canon, this iteration has an almost perfumed nose. Awash with floral notes, rose petals, cedar and turned earth, there's also flashes of vanilla and tobacco. The palate, though, is all about red fruits held in firm, rounded tannins with just a hint of cedar and spice. Also great with food but delicious any which way. 93 points, Descorchados Wine Guide. 14% alc, RRP $40 a bottle. SPECIALS $32.99 in any dozen, $23.99 in our Argentine dozen. HJ Fabre Barrel Selection Patagonia Malbec 2023 For a perfect contrast, try this Fabre stablemate offering a nose flecked with plum, graphite, vanilla and just a hint of dried herbs, especially tarragon. On the tongue there's a beautiful velvety texture – full-bodied and smooth with a polished quality and lovely freshness. The flavours of ripe, spicy plums and blueberry are concentrated, with a little espresso on the finish. 93 points, Descorchados Wine Guide. 14.5% alc, RRP $40 a bottle. SPECIALS $32.99 in any dozen, $23.99 in our Argentine dozen. The Holdings Malbec 2024 The macerated strawberries, plum and hints of lavender on the nose tell you this is designed to please, and the soft, medium-bodied palate underlines its appeal. There's more plum and strawberry in the mouth, vanilla, spice and a few smoky notes to add a savoury edge. The length is pleasingly long thanks to silky, soft tannins. 13% alc, RRP $28. SPECIALS $19.99 in any dozen, $23.99 in our Argentine dozen. ARGENTINE DOZEN Three bottles of each wine above for $23.99 a $162. Order online or phone 1300 765 359 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm AEST and quote 'AC4D'. Deals are available only while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine, LIQP770016550.
News.com.au
18 hours ago
- News.com.au
You will either love or hate Instagram's newest feature
Instagram has caused a bitter divide with the launch of its newest feature, a graphic font that you either love or hate. The chalkboard style writing, called Rosalía, was named after the Spanish pop singer and has been recently rolled out globally on the popular app. Styled on Rosalía's own handwriting, complete with the Con Altura singer's dramatic strokes and inky texture, Instagram said the new feature – which can be used on Reels and Stories – was designed to encourage creativity and risk-taking among its users. However, it appears to have sent the internet into a meltdown, with those who have adopted the new writing being condemned by those who loathe its appearance. 'What is this absolutely hideous new font you guys are using on Instagram?' asked TikTok user francescabongi in a viral clip that has amassed almost 2 million views. While another, who goes by the handle @alexispoulos, lost her cool over it, slamming her hand on her phone as she asked: 'What the hell is going on with Instagram and these whack ass fonts?' Meanwhile Instagram account @themuffreport posted, 'please stop using this font' to its 1 million followers, describing its existence as 'the next pandemic'. The rage-filled posts spawned thousands of comments, with many agreeing the new feature was 'ugly' and 'weird'. However, there were plenty of Rosalía font fans who quickly leapt to its defence. 'It's so funny that people get so bothered over a font,' commented one. 'I'm gonna start using it even harder,' remarked another. While one quizzed: 'Why does it matter what font other people use on their own stories?' One of the most popular quirks of the latest Instagram feature is its 'secret icons', which include a heart, a smiley face, a devil and a star. These are unlocked when users manually type out select symbols such as But the defenders were quickly shot down by those who seemingly despise trying something new. 'If you feel compelled to use this font, it's your sign to seek therapy,' snarked one. 'When I see this font I see, 'H E L P',' commented another. As someone else declared: 'It's serial killer font.' There was also feedback from some that the new typeface was 'hard to read' and 'inaccessible' for blind and visually impaired people. 'I cannot read that font for the life of me, and my visual disabilities are mostly corrected with glasses. I can't imagine how hard it is to read with other visual disabilities,' noted one woman. 'I find it hard to read, especially when it's small,' agreed another. Adam Mosseri, the Head of Instagram, said the Rosalía font is available for a limited-time and was one of several updates coming as part of a wider push to 'make things more fun'. 'We know people value lightweight ways to be creative with features like Close Friends, Stories, Notes and more,' he wrote. 'We're also introducing a way to share what you're listening to on Spotify directly in Notes, to easily connect with friends through music.'
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
90s pop icon stuns on island getaway with Aussie boyfriend
Spice Girl Melanie C – aka Sporty Spice – looks as fit as ever in these candid new holiday photos. The 90s pop legend, 51, escaped to the island of Mallorca for a romantic getaway with her partner, Australian actor and model Chris Dingwall. The loved-up pair each shared a carousel of photos from the holiday on Instagram, with Melanie looking absolutely ripped in a tiny two-piece black bikini – and in another snap, relaxing on a boat while reading a book about the history of esctasy use in dance music. Fans and friends were full of praise for the star in the comments section. 'Seeing Melanie look this healthy and happy melts my heart,' one longtime fan wrote. 'Gorgeous to see you so happy and relaxed,' wrote UK broadcaster Kate Thornton. 'You're both so cute together. Love seeing you enjoying moments of love,' another fan gushed. ï¸� Dingwall is originally from Sydney but travels the world as a model signed to Ford Models and Chadwick. The pair went public at Wimbledon in London last July, days after they were spotted walking hand-in-hand at the iconic Glastonbury festival. But they had been quietly dating for months before that: Melanie's frequent visits to our shores earlier in 2024, ostensibly for DJing gigs, also doubled as quality time with Dingwall as the pair shared romantic getaways in resorts across Brisbane, Byron Bay and the Whitsundays. Since those early days the pair have become more open about their relationship, with Melanie C even professing her 'love' for Dingwall on social media in January after he wished her a happy 51st birthday. Furthering her Aussie connection, Melanie C will soon appear as one of the celeb coaches on the next season of Seven's music contest The Voice alongside Ronan Keating, Richard Marx and Kate Miller-Heidke. She was based in Bondi while she lived here to film the season, and also made a surprise appearance at a Sydney gay club in April, filming scenes for a new music video. Melanie C is undoubtedly the most private of the five Spice Girls when it comes to her love life, largely keeping her relationships out of the public eye since a string of romances with high-profile musicians in the late 90s and early noughties. She has a teenage daughter from a longtime relationship with ex-partner Thomas Starr. The pair split in 2012 after a decade together. After that, Melanie dated her manager, Joe Marshall, for seven years before they split in 2022.
