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Coroner Concludes Chantel Bellew’s Death Was Suicide by Painkiller Overdose

An inquest found that the 34-year-old dancer deliberately overdosed in March following years of mental health struggles.

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Overview

  • Assistant coroner John Pollard ruled at Bolton Coroner’s Court that Bellew knowingly ingested a fatal dose of painkillers and recorded a suicide conclusion.
  • A post-mortem examination identified toxicity of a painkiller as the direct cause of her death.
  • She was admitted to Royal Bolton Hospital on March 17 after the overdose, then transferred to St James’s University Hospital in Leeds, where she died on March 22.
  • Witnesses told the hearing that Bellew had battled mental health issues for years and had been an inpatient during the November 2020 Covid-19 lockdown.
  • Family, friends and fellow performers paid tribute to her impact as a Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist, a dedicated tap dance teacher and a beloved creative spirit.