Daniel Postgate, son of Bagpuss co-creator Oliver Postgate, died at age 61 in June.
Peter Davidson and Charlotte Everett Showbiz Reporter
13:22, 26 Nov 2025
(Image: PA)
A BBC Bafta-winner was discovered dead in his shed after receiving a letter from the NHS.
Daniel Postgate passed away at the age of 61 in June after parting from his partner of 35 years.
A highly-respected figure in TV, he brought contemporary versions of shows such as Bagpuss and The Clangers to our screens.
An inquest into his death was conducted in Maidstone this week. Daniel was discovered dead in a shed at his home in Whistable after taking his own life, reports the Mirror. He had been fighting blood cancer and had a history of depression and anxiety.
He had undergone chemotherapy in 2019 but then received a letter just a day before he died which discussed his diagnosis. The letter, which he was sent by the NHS, discussed Daniel’s diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome which is a form of blood cancer and aplastic anaemia where the body cannot make enough blood cells.
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You’ll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here, select ‘Join Community’ and you’re in!
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘exit group’.
If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
The letter said that the treatment had gone well but there was a chance that the cancer could return.
A report that was prepared for the coroner by his family said that Daniel was “afraid my illness can’t be cured”.
It was reported that he wrote a note to them saying: “I hope you all have wonderful lives, and remember to love each other.”
Daniel has two children and had split amicably from his partner of 35 years before he died.
An inquest which took place this week at Oakwood House, Maidstone, heard that the medical cause of death was recorded as being consistent with suicide.
Coroner Sarah Clarke stated: “I always say to family, I don’t think it’s a question [why a person has died by suicide] that can ever be answered. He tells me he’s undertaking a deliberate act. He doesn’t want to endure the ongoing treatment. I would be wrong to find another reason [for Daniel’s death].”
Daniel’s brother Simon Postgate shared details of their last phone conversation during the court hearing, saying: “I think he had something in mind, but I don’t know for certain.
“He was able to communicate and was quite chatty and fairly relaxed, but he had underlying depression for about 40 years. It was sometimes difficult to tell what frame of mind he was in.”
Daniel was the son of Bagpuss co-creator Oliver Postgate, who along with his son, ushered in a new era of children’s TV on the BBC. Oliver, the creative force behind other beloved shows such as Pingwings, Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine and Pogles’ Wood, passed away in 2008.
