William Chapman's final hours revealed as inquest into Yorkshire Wildlife Park tiger death is due to open
From the Newshound archive · first published 14 October 2026.
Altai the Amur tiger and William Chapman inside the Yorkshire Wildlife Park enclosure, where an inquest is due to open at Doncaster Coroner's Court on Thursday into his death.William Chapman, the former child actor killed by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, whose family say he had suffered from significant mental illness over a number of years and had been prescribed strong medication.
William Chapman, 24, spent his last hours at the gym and posing with a crossbow before making his doomed visit to Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday, new details reveal. His family described him as a "bright, warm and engaging young man" who had suffered "significant mental illness" for years and had been prescribed "strong medication". An inquest is due to open at Doncaster Coroner's Court on Thursday, with his family saying it will be for the coroner to determine what role his mental health played. Doncaster Council has launched a health and safety investigation and the park remains closed.
Chapman, a former child actor, appeared in an ITV comedy alongside Shirley Henderson, known for playing Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter films.
His own phone footage shows him slowly approaching Altai, a 200kg rare Amur tiger, as onlookers screamed at him to stop.
Trump shared the attack footage on Truth Social with the caption 'Don't ever mess with nature!' — deepening his family's distress.
