William Chapman, who died after entering the tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday, was a former child actor.
William Chapman, the man who died after entering the tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday, October 10, has now been revealed to have been a former child actor.
Chapman, who was in his mid-20s, was pronounced dead at the scene after emergency services were called to the park near Doncaster at 1:35 pm. Police didn’t name him at first, but he was identified on Tuesday, and his family has since released a statement.
“William was a bright, warm and engaging young man whom his family dearly loved—and William loved them back,” it read. “The family are utterly devastated by their loss and are struggling to come to terms with what has happened.”
Contradictory statements from witnesses of the tragedy
Witnesses have given several accounts of what William Chapman did before he entered the tiger enclosure, and they don’t all match. According to the Manchester Evening News, he asked a stranger to take his photo with the tiger in the background, and she took several pictures on his phone.
A video circulating online appears to show him asking, “Excuse me, can you grab a shot of myself with the tiger?” “Thank you, lady” were reportedly the last words he was heard saying before he climbed in. Several witnesses said he was wearing AirPods and dancing on the bridge above the enclosure, but they described him very differently. One told The Mail on Sunday he seemed “agitated” and appeared to “psyche himself up” with a “dance,” while Marie Miller wrote on Facebook that he looked like he was “happily enjoying seeing the tiger,” and another eyewitness said he seemed “like he was in a trance.”
Accounts also differ on how he got in. Anthony Hunt told The Telegraph he jumped roughly 12 feet from a bridge after overpowering a woman with two children who tried to stop him, while the Mail on Sunday witness said he scaled a fence. One witness said he “obviously wasn’t with anyone,” while Miller said she wasn’t sure whether he was with a carer or a family member. Police have only said he “entered” the enclosure.
A childhood on stage and screen
Performing was a big part of Chapman’s early life. He attended a performing arts school from the age of four and went on to appear in several TV productions in the UK as a child. In 2009 he starred in the ITV series May Contain Nuts alongside Shirley Henderson, best known as Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter films, and in 2012 he played a young Edward Jenner in the BBC series True Stories.
His mother described him as “passionate about acting and drama” in a blog post from more than 12 years ago, the Mirror reports. In the same post, she said he also worked as an extra on the 2015 film Pan, which she called a “wonderful experience for him.”
Tributes from his Chapman’s school
The Jackie Palmer Stage School in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, which Chapman attended, has paid tribute to him on Facebook. “Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with William’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time,” it wrote. “We loved watching William grow, both as a person and as a performer, during his time with us. It was a privilege to be part of his journey, and he will be remembered with great fondness by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him.”
The school said he will “always have a special place in their heart,” and ended its post with: “Rest in peace, William.”
A statement from the park
On Sunday, Yorkshire Wildlife Park thanked people for their concern following “yesterday’s tragic incident” and said the staff who were “deeply affected by events” would be given specialist support. It also confirmed that Altai, the tiger, will not be put down. “We can reassure everyone that he is safe and well and will not be euthanised as a result of this incident,” it said.
The enclosure is home to two Amur tigers, Altai and Tschuna, which visitors can watch from a 300-meter raised walkway above the two-acre habitat.
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