Ann Widdecombe, a former Conservative MP and politician, has died aged 78. Police found her with serious injuries at her home on Dartmoor on Thursday and are treating her death as murder, BBC News reported. A 26-year-old man is in police custody.

Police have not yet released many details about what happened or about the man arrested. They have confirmed the arrest, but details about the injuries, cause of death, and whether the suspect knew Widdecombe are still unknown. More information is expected as the investigation continues.

A day before she was found injured, Widdecombe appeared on a television show called The Mike Graham Show on TalkTV. In the interview, she defended politician Nigel Farage's decision to run for Parliament again in Clacton, calling it "the right course to take," according to the Independent. This appears to have been one of her final public appearances.

A YouTube video from the same show, dated 25 May 2026, shows Widdecombe talking about free speech and government messages about heat safety. It is not clear if this is from the same recording session as the later interview about Clacton, or from a different date.

Media organisations have responded quickly to her death. TalkTV posted a video on 6 July 2026 announcing her death—though this date is earlier than the Thursday when police say she was found. That timing will need to be checked as police release more information. Mike Graham, who hosted the show she appeared on, posted his reaction, saying he was shocked by her death, given how recently she had been on his programme.

Widdecombe was a former Conservative minister. In her later years, she became a public voice for Reform UK, a political party. She continued to support Nigel Farage's political decisions publicly, including his recent decision to run for Parliament again.

Right now, the facts are limited. Police have confirmed an arrest and are investigating the death as murder. What is not yet confirmed: the exact cause of death, what injuries she had, what time she died, or how—or if—the arrested man knew Widdecombe. Until police release more details, any reporting beyond these confirmed facts should be treated carefully.