Cathy Newman weeps during her last night at Channel 4 as she interviews parents of girl who took her own life through suicide forum
On her last night on Channel 4, Cathy Newman looked visibly upset as she interviewed the parents of a woman who committed suicide after visiting an online suicide forum.
Newman, who reported for the broadcaster for 20 years, said goodbye to Channel 4 with his final newscast on Thursday evening.
During the show, the 51-year-old actor spoke to the parents of Grace Pritchard, who committed suicide in August 2025 at the age of 23.
He died after ingesting a substance that his family believed he had purchased through a pro-suicide online forum.
Grace’s parents, Mary and Bob, are calling on Ofcom to intervene on websites that should be blocked but are routinely accessed via VPNs.
In her first interview since Grace’s death, Mary described her daughter as ‘brilliant, witty and brilliant’.
Bob told the host: ‘It’s like you’ve been living your lives until the day Grace died and now our lives are so different.’
The parents explained that Grace turned to online forums for support after struggling with anxiety in her youth.
Cathy Newman looked visibly upset on her last night on Channel 4 as she interviewed the parents of a woman who committed suicide after visiting an online suicide forum.
Newman spoke with Bob and Mary Pritchard, who lost their daughter Grace to suicide in August 2025
Grace passed away after taking a substance her parents thought she had purchased from an online suicide forum
‘Last April, the police knocked on our door,’ said the girl’s mother. They said they seized a package sent to ‘Grace’ and that it contained a prepared poison.
‘Grace said she ordered this because she was feeling down but she didn’t feel that way anymore.’
Just four months later, Grace’s mother found her dead in the family home.
Recalling the tragedy, he continued: ‘We thought he had turned the corner, he looked like he was having a good time at home.
‘It’s just ingrained in our heads. One of Grace’s dogs was looking down from the top of the stairs, which looked nothing like her.
‘So I went to check on Grace and that’s when I found her. I just screamed for Bob. “There was nothing we could do.”
According to Channel 4, the forum from which Grace allegedly bought the substance that killed her is responsible for around 135 deaths in the UK.
While Bob paid tribute to the 23-year-old, Cathy appeared on the verge of tears before closing the interview.
Holding back tears, Bob said: ‘He was a great friend. It was really very witty and very entertaining. I will miss him forever.’
The program was Newman’s last appearance on Channel 4 before he leaves to join Sky News, where he will present the broadcaster’s news from 7pm.
Newman spent two decades reporting for Channel 4 and after his final show the presenter’s colleagues thanked him for his efforts.
‘Cathy, thank you and good luck. “Love from all of us at Channel 4,” read a tribute.
