UPCOMING EPISODES

On June 25, 2009, actress and 1970’s icon, Farrah Fawcett died of a rare form of cancer in Los Angeles. Her death at 62 shocked her fans, friends and family as Farrah didn’t smoke, ate healthy food and worked hard to keep fit. In this episode, expert coroner and Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter examines Farrah’s medical history and hears from some of her closest friends to try and work out what caused Farrah’s cancer and if the alternative cancer treatments she received played any part in her death.

On September 13th, 1982, Princess Grace of Monaco - Grace Kelly - drove her old Rover 3500 car off the edge of a mountain road above the famous principality. She died in hospital the following day, aged just 52. The crash brought to an end a life lived almost entirely in the public eye; first as the iconic star of some of Hollywood’s best loved movies and then as the wife of Prince Rainier, ruler of the tiny Mediterranean enclave. In the wake of Grace Kelly’s death it proved hard to get at the truth of what had actually happened. A police investigations encountered obstacles and the Palace appeared to close ranks. It was said that Grace had suffered a stroke at the wheel and this married with her family history of high blood pressure, a thing little understood at the time. But what is the truth of Grace Kelly’s final hours? Conspiracy theories multiplied in the vacuum left by the Palace’s silence. World renowned forensic pathologist, Dr Michael Hunter analyses the details of this fascinating case to discover the answer.

In the golden age of Hollywood Marilyn Monroe eclipsed all others. Through a series of hit films in the 1950s she became the ultimate sex symbol. Her iconic look made her one of the most photographed, most famous women on the planet. But on 3.50 am on August 5th 1962 Marilyn was pronounced dead in the bedroom of her Los Angeles home. In spite of her success, Marilyn suffered chronic insomnia, severe anxiety and depression and died with bottles of prescription pills at her bedside. Her death was declared a ‘probable suicide. ’ But this official uncertainty and rumors of affairs with both John F and Robert Kennedy opened the floodgates to fifty years of conspiracy theories and allegations that Marilyn was murdered. Now world-renowned forensic pathologist Dr Michael Hunter is piecing together the events of Marilyn’s last hours, using the autopsy report and her recently revealed private medical records. Here, buried deep in the archives, he discovers a damning piece of fresh evidence, allowing him to offer a startling new conclusion and finally reveal who was responsible for the death of Marilyn Monroe.

On May 19th 1994, the world was shocked and saddened by the news that beloved American Icon Jackie Kennedy Onassis had died. At the age of 31 Jackie was one of the youngest first ladies to enter the Whitehouse on her husband’s arm as John Fitzgerald Kennedy became president in 1960. Jackie made a huge impression on the nation and the rest of the world, leading the stage for many first ladies to come. She became one of the most famous women in the world. But behind the fairy tale first lady was a life of trauma and tragedy. Jackie lost three children, the last one Patrick lived just a day. Patrick died just three months before Jackie endured the horrific day in Dallas in 1963 where she witnessed her husband’s assassination just inches in front of her. 5 years later Bobby Kennedy, her brother-in-law was also assassinated and she began to fear for her life and the lives of her children. After marrying multi -billionaire Aristotle Onassis and hiding from the world Jackie overcame her fear and carved a new life out for herself. For 30 years Jackie was a very successful book publisher and lived near her two children in New York with the love of her life, Maurice Tempelsman. She lived a full and active life. Jackie died suddenly at the age of 64 from Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, just months after diagnosis. So why did this seemingly healthy national Idol succum to such a deadly disease and why did it kill her at such an alarming rate? World renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Hunter needs to analyze Jackie’s history, her lifestyle and medical past in order to find the answers.

On 16th July, 1999, John Kennedy Jr crashed his Piper Sartoga aircraft into the ocean off Martha’s Vineyard. He died instantly along with his wife, Carolyn and her sister Lauren. John was just 38. John shared some of these characteristics – his ADHD did not help - but was conscious of this cycle of destruction and disaster. If anybody looked capable of outrunning the family’s dark history it was him. As the world had watched, that little boy had grown into a gentle, beautiful man. And he had gradually come to terms with the Kennedy Legacy and his role within it. Politics, he had begun to realize, would suit his temperament and his talents. The return of a Kennedy to the White House was a narrative it was hard to resist. All that ended with John Jr’s fatal flight in the summer of 1999. The world had wept at his father’s funeral in 1963 and they wept again as John’s ashes were scattered from a US Navy destroyer off the coast of Massachusetts. They were burying a modest, kind man whom Americans had taken to their hearts. And they were burying a dream. This truly was the end of Camelot.

Janis Joplin was a true rock and roll icon and her explosive performances electrified audiences around the world. She fully embraced the rock and roll spirit of the age and had a music career that was going stratospheric. But on October 4th 1970, aged just 27 years old, Janis Joplin died alone in her Los Angeles hotel. Her body lay undiscovered for 18 hours. Forensic pathologist, Dr Michael Hunter is using Janis Joplin’s autopsy report to build up a picture of her last days and hours to find out exactly how this young, talented musician suddenly died.

In April 1994, the twenty seven year old musician and self styled prince of grunge, Kurt Cobain was found dead at his Seattle mansion with a gunshot wound to his head. A suicide note was found at the scene and the police quickly concluded that Kurt had taken his own life. But for more than twenty years controversy has raged over the cause of Kurt’s death with many claiming he had too much heroin in his system to have shot himself. Expert Coroner and Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter has examined all the available medical evidence and with testimony from family and friends to finally reveal the real cause of Kurt Cobain’s death.

Known affectionately as “The Last Great Rockstar”, grunge icon Scott Weiland died on December 3rd, 2015. The singer and songwriter was just 48. his death came suddenly while on the road with his new band The Wildabouts. Scott sold over 20 million records as lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots, and super-group Velvet Revolver, and he famously lived the rockstar lifestyle to the full. As sales skyrocketed he indulged in all the excesses that come with success in the music business, but all the time he was battling alcoholism and mental illness. At the height of his career he developed a devastating heroin addiction, and towards the end of his life his behaviour became increasingly unpredictable and erratic. The Examiner’s Report cites mixed drug toxicity as the cause of death - but there was no heroin found in Scott’s system, and renowned forensic pathologist Dr Michael Hunter believes that Scott’s well documented drug use doesn’t present the full picture. He investigates Scott’s troubled past and discovers a catalogue of traumatic events and dangerous activities in Scott’s lifestory. Together they created the circumstances for him to die suddenly and without warning on a cold winter’s day alone on his tour bus.

Christopher John Cornell was an American musician, singer and songwriter. He was best known as the lead vocalist for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave. Cornell was considered one of the chief architects of the 1990s grunge movement, and is well known for his extensive catalog as a songwriter, his nearly four-octave vocal range, and his powerful vocal belting technique. Cornell struggled with depression for much of his life. He was found dead in his Detroit hotel room early on the morning of May 18, 2017, after performing at a Soundgarden concert an hour earlier.

On May 8, 1999, the world was saddened by the news that actor Dana Plato, died in Moore, Oklahoma. As a child star in Eighties TV show ‘Diff’rent Strokes’ Dana had captured the heart of America playing everyone’s favourite older sister, Kimberley Drummond. It seemed nothing could stop her. But after riding high on the show’s success, her career dwindled and Dana suffered a series of crushing lows including the loss of her beloved adoptive mum as well as a marriage breakdown. As Dana’s life continued to unravel, she turned to alcohol and drugs to deal with her problems becoming a Hollywood pariah. Dana was found dead in her RV at the age of just 34. She had died of a multidrug overdose and her passing was originally reported as accidental but the autopsy report would later rule this death as suicide. There are those that remain convinced that the young mother with so much to live for would never take her own life. So what really happened? World renowned forensic pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter needs to analyze every detail of Dana’s autopsy, toxicology report and personal testimonies to find out more about her last days and whether Dana Plato really meant to commit suicide?

Desi Arnaz was famed for playing the much-loved character, Ricky Ricardo, in the 1950s TV series ‘I Love Lucy’. Almost 30 years later, in the early hours of December 2nd, 1986, Desi died. He was 69 years old. Born in Cuba, 16-year-old Desi & his family were exiled to Miami following the 1933 revolution. Starting from zero, Desi’s drive to succeed saw him rise to fame & garner attention as the bongo-playing leader of a Latin orchestra. With his Cuban charisma & boyish good looks he soon won the heart of up & coming film star, Lucille Ball. Together, they would change the face of TV with the series ‘I Love Lucy’. But Desi was so much more than just a TV star – forming their company, Desilu he became one of the most powerful men in TV. But his success would become his downfall. In this episode, world-renowned forensic pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter, uses the Death certificate, first-hand reports, and archive to uncover the facts behind the sad demise of Desi Arnaz.

Desi Arnaz was famed for playing the much-loved character, Ricky Ricardo, in the 1950s TV series ‘I Love Lucy’. Almost 30 years later, in the early hours of December 2nd, 1986, Desi died. He was 69 years old. Born in Cuba, 16-year-old Desi & his family were exiled to Miami following the 1933 revolution. Starting from zero, Desi’s drive to succeed saw him rise to fame & garner attention as the bongo-playing leader of a Latin orchestra. With his Cuban charisma & boyish good looks he soon won the heart of up & coming film star, Lucille Ball. Together, they would change the face of TV with the series ‘I Love Lucy’. But Desi was so much more than just a TV star – forming their company, Desilu he became one of the most powerful men in TV. But his success would become his downfall. In this episode, world-renowned forensic pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter, uses the Death certificate, first-hand reports, and archive to uncover the facts behind the sad demise of Desi Arnaz.

Rue McClanahan was beloved for playing the sassy Southern Belle, Blanche Devereaux, on the classic show “The Golden Girls.” But behind the smiles, Rue’s life was blighted by heartbreak, disease and near-death experiences. Her cause of death was reported as a stroke, which is most commonly caused by a blood clot to the brain. Mysteriously, however, Rue was taking the drug Warfarin, which is a powerful anticoagulant medication specifically designed to prevent blood clotting. So why did the actress die of a stroke at the age of 76? World renowned Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter needs to analyze every detail of the limited information available to piece together the answer

The death of Florence Henderson in November 2016, best known as Carol Brady in The Brady Bunch, left her fans the world over mourning the loss of an iconic mother figure. She was 82 but looking characteristically vibrant on live TV just days beforehand, her death caught everyone by surprise. With a career spanning over 60 years, Florence was an incredibly multi-talented performer on stage and screen. The last of 10 children, she grew up in extreme poverty. But by the age of 19, thanks to her remarkable determination and work ethic, she became an overnight Broadway star and was rarely out of the spotlight for the rest of her life. Reports state that Florence died from complications with her heart leading to complete heart failure. Working and travelling flat out to the very end undoubtedly put her under great mental and physical strain. But her heart may also have been burdened by a period of heavy drinking and living, depression, a hysterectomy and osteoporosis drugs. By her mid 70s, Florence was suffering from an irregular heartbeat and coronary artery disease leading to major surgery, including a procedure just 24 hours before she died. With the help of Florence’s medical history and eyewitness accounts, world renowned forensic pathologist Dr Michael Hunter, digs deep to discover exactly what caused the heart of America’s beloved Mom to fail so suddenly.

Rue McClanahan was beloved for playing the sassy Southern Belle, Blanche Devereaux, on the classic show “The Golden Girls.” But behind the smiles, Rue’s life was blighted by heartbreak, disease and near-death experiences. Her cause of death was reported as a stroke, which is most commonly caused by a blood clot to the brain. Mysteriously, however, Rue was taking the drug Warfarin, which is a powerful anticoagulant medication specifically designed to prevent blood clotting. So why did the actress die of a stroke at the age of 76? World renowned Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter needs to analyze every detail of the limited information available to piece together the answer

The death of Florence Henderson in November 2016, best known as Carol Brady in The Brady Bunch, left her fans the world over mourning the loss of an iconic mother figure. She was 82 but looking characteristically vibrant on live TV just days beforehand, her death caught everyone by surprise. With a career spanning over 60 years, Florence was an incredibly multi-talented performer on stage and screen. The last of 10 children, she grew up in extreme poverty. But by the age of 19, thanks to her remarkable determination and work ethic, she became an overnight Broadway star and was rarely out of the spotlight for the rest of her life. Reports state that Florence died from complications with her heart leading to complete heart failure. Working and travelling flat out to the very end undoubtedly put her under great mental and physical strain. But her heart may also have been burdened by a period of heavy drinking and living, depression, a hysterectomy and osteoporosis drugs. By her mid 70s, Florence was suffering from an irregular heartbeat and coronary artery disease leading to major surgery, including a procedure just 24 hours before she died. With the help of Florence’s medical history and eyewitness accounts, world renowned forensic pathologist Dr Michael Hunter, digs deep to discover exactly what caused the heart of America’s beloved Mom to fail so suddenly.

Desi Arnaz was famed for playing the much-loved character, Ricky Ricardo, in the 1950s TV series ‘I Love Lucy’. Almost 30 years later, in the early hours of December 2nd, 1986, Desi died. He was 69 years old. Born in Cuba, 16-year-old Desi & his family were exiled to Miami following the 1933 revolution. Starting from zero, Desi’s drive to succeed saw him rise to fame & garner attention as the bongo-playing leader of a Latin orchestra. With his Cuban charisma & boyish good looks he soon won the heart of up & coming film star, Lucille Ball. Together, they would change the face of TV with the series ‘I Love Lucy’. But Desi was so much more than just a TV star – forming their company, Desilu he became one of the most powerful men in TV. But his success would become his downfall. In this episode, world-renowned forensic pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter, uses the Death certificate, first-hand reports, and archive to uncover the facts behind the sad demise of Desi Arnaz.

On the morning of April 26th, 1989, Lucille Ball died in a Los Angeles hospital leaving the world heartbroken. America’s first lady of comedy had delighted audiences with a glittering career that spanned over half a century: but it was her television show, ‘I Love Lucy, ’ that had transformed television and turned the actress into the most famous face on the planet. The 77 year old would die of a rupture of the aorta - a life-ending tear of the largest artery in the human body. This is rare, and even more mysterious given the fact that she was in great shape just weeks before her death. So what exactly was going on inside Lucille Ball’s body that led to this catastrophic failure? And could a mystery teenage illness have played a part? World renowned forensic pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter investigates every aspect of Lucille’s life in forensic detail, using her death certificate, medical documents and first-hand accounts to piece together what was going on in the body of America’s most loved Lucy to find the answers.

The death of Florence Henderson in November 2016, best known as Carol Brady in The Brady Bunch, left her fans the world over mourning the loss of an iconic mother figure. She was 82 but looking characteristically vibrant on live TV just days beforehand, her death caught everyone by surprise. With a career spanning over 60 years, Florence was an incredibly multi-talented performer on stage and screen. The last of 10 children, she grew up in extreme poverty. But by the age of 19, thanks to her remarkable determination and work ethic, she became an overnight Broadway star and was rarely out of the spotlight for the rest of her life. Reports state that Florence died from complications with her heart leading to complete heart failure. Working and travelling flat out to the very end undoubtedly put her under great mental and physical strain. But her heart may also have been burdened by a period of heavy drinking and living, depression, a hysterectomy and osteoporosis drugs. By her mid 70s, Florence was suffering from an irregular heartbeat and coronary artery disease leading to major surgery, including a procedure just 24 hours before she died. With the help of Florence’s medical history and eyewitness accounts, world renowned forensic pathologist Dr Michael Hunter, digs deep to discover exactly what caused the heart of America’s beloved Mom to fail so suddenly.

Rue McClanahan was beloved for playing the sassy Southern Belle, Blanche Devereaux, on the classic show “The Golden Girls.” But behind the smiles, Rue’s life was blighted by heartbreak, disease and near-death experiences. Her cause of death was reported as a stroke, which is most commonly caused by a blood clot to the brain. Mysteriously, however, Rue was taking the drug Warfarin, which is a powerful anticoagulant medication specifically designed to prevent blood clotting. So why did the actress die of a stroke at the age of 76? World renowned Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter needs to analyze every detail of the limited information available to piece together the answer