Newsreader Kenneth Kendall's gay lover found hanged at his home just four months after the presenter's death

BBC presenter Kenneth Kendall’s civil partner has been found hanged at their home four months after the newsreader’s death.
Mark Fear, 55, had been in a relationship with Kendall for 23 years.
The art gallery owner was still grieving the loss of his partner after his death from a stroke in December.

Keen sailor Mark Fear was found hanged in his home on the Isle of White

It is thought that Mr Fear struggled following the death of his partner of a stroke in December

Mr Fear was discovered by a friend hanging from a banister in his home in Cowes, Isle of Wight on Monday.
He was confirmed dead half an hour after police arrived at 1.22pm.
Coroner’s officer Dick Leedham said: ‘A post-mortem report gave the cause of death as asphyxiation and suspension.’
The couple ran an the Kendall Fine Art gallery in Cowes.
The gallery represents over 80 contemporary artists and holds a new show of around 100 new paintings every four to five weeks

They regularly hold drinks receptions, and offer animal painting services.
They entered into a civil partnership in 2006.
A former vice-commodore at the Royal London Yacht Club, Mr Fear was a keen sailor and was involved heavily in the community on the Isle of White.
Mr Fear’s sisters Paula Maher and Christine Leigh said in a statement: ‘Mark’s family and close friends are very grateful for the loving concern and sympathy shown by so many friends and colleagues.’
Coroner Caroline Sumeray opened and adjourned a hearing to a date to be fixed.

Kenneth Kendall, the first newsreader whose face was seen  on British television screens, died aged 88.

Newsreader Kendall (pictured) and Fear were together for 23 years before Kendall died in December

High-flying: Kendall (right) joined Treasure Hunt in 1982 and the show, which featured Anneka Rice (left) scouring the country for clues in a helicopter, become a huge hit for the fledgling Channel 4

Celebrity friends: Kendall (second from right) appeared on a Christmas Day celebrity edition of Bullseye in 1983 alongside fellow TV presenters (left to right) Anne Diamond, Judith Hann, host Jim Bowen and Anne Aston

Kendall, who was known to millions for his elegant style and unflappable manner, had suffered a stroke.
More recently he became familiar to a new generation of viewers as presenter of the game show Treasure Hunt.
It was on September 4, 1955, that he made history by becoming the first BBC newsreader to appear on TV.
Prior to that, presenters’ voices were heard over stills and footage of events because of fears they might, by some facial grimace, display political bias which could dilute the BBC’s  authority and impartiality.
Even after Kendall and his colleagues became visible to viewers, they remained austerely impersonal.
‘In the early days, our names were not even allowed to be mentioned. That was far too showbizzy,’ he once said.
‘We were only professional broadcasters reading stuff written by somebody else. The BBC had auditioned a few actors, but they were turned down because they acted the news – which is exactly what was not wanted.
‘In those early days, some people didn’t understand anything about television.
‘My cousin’s charlady honestly thought I could see her when I was on the screen. One day she said, “I fell asleep watching Mr Kenneth last night and when I woke up my false teeth had fallen out. I feel so ashamed that he saw me without my teeth in”.’

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