A grandfather stuntman allegedly murdered on a stag do cruise from Britain to Europe has been pictured for the first time today.
James Messham, 60, died after a fight broke out aboard the MSC Virtuosa just over two hours after it left Southampton for Belgium last weekend.
The cruise ship was still in British waters when a brawl described as being like something from the ‘Wild West’ broke out on board at around 8.30pm on Saturday.
Mr Messham, described as a ‘proper gent’ and a ‘salt of the earth’ gentleman who would help ‘anyone day or night’, was killed following the altercation.
An Army medic on the cruise is believed to have tried to save the stuntman, who is said to have rode motorbikes as part of the daring Wall of Death attraction at fairs with members of his family. In recent years he had presented the show as his son Jake and other riders wowed crowds as they whizzed around the vertical walls.
The Messhams Wall of Death is Europe’s oldest motorcycle sport show, going back four generations of the family to around 1929.
Police arrested a 57-year-old man from Exeter on suspicion of murder on his return to the UK on Monday. The suspect was released on bail on Tuesday afternoon.
It later emerged that the Traitors’ winner Harry Clark and his girlfriend were among the passengers enjoying the two-night cruise. He was said to be ‘very shocked and saddened’ by the incident and was ‘thinking of the individual’s family and friends’.
Following the announcement of the 60-year-old’s death, tributes began to pour in for Mr Messham, a much-loved father and grandfather.
James Messham (pictured), 60, died when a fight allegedly broke out aboard the MSC Virstuosa around 8.30pm last Saturday
According to a passenger onboard, the trip was a ‘booze cruise’ to BrugesÂ
Mr Messhem’s family in Sussex were too upset to speak but touching posts have been shared by relatives on Facebook
MSC Virtuosa (pictured) left on Saturday evening for a two-night cruise to Bruges but a fight allegedly broke out just 2.5 hours into the journey at about 8.30pm
It turns out that the Traitors’ stay Harry Clark, left, with his girlfriend Anna Maynard was among the passengers enjoying the two-night cruiseÂ
His friend Joby Carter of Carter’s Steam Fair said he was ‘gutted’ at the news, saying: ‘We always got along with him. He was a proper gent, salt of the earth.’Â
‘We used to travel Carter’s Steam Fair. He approached us because he had a wall of death and wanted to travel with us’.
Mr Carter added anyone who knew Mr Messham, from Sussex, would also know ‘if you had a problem he would come and help you any time day or night’.
The daring stunt man had been a part of the fair until around eight years ago.Â
He was understood to have been travelling with relatives who helped him run the popular motorbike stunt show the Wall of Death.
Mr Carter added: ‘He was such a trier and did really well in the haulage business as well.’
Mr Messhem’s family in Sussex were too upset to speak but touching posts have been shared by relatives on Facebook.Â
An eyewitness said there were ‘hen and stag parties causing chaos’ on the boat.Â
Traitors star Harry Clark and his girlfriend Anna Maynard were among the passengers enjoying the two-night cruise.
There is no suggestion he was involved in the violence.Â
He was spotted by fellow passenger Lynda Hardiman-Pearce, who runs a catering business.Â
She spoke about meeting the the series two winner before the ‘carnage’ broke out.
She told the Metro: ‘People were jolly but it was a bit like a modern Wild West with stag and hen dos everywhere.
‘Harry from Traitors was on board with a big group of family, but they were low-key and just had a nice time together.
‘Harry was lovely, a very nice guy.’
He won The Traitors’ £95,000 prize last January after deceiving his fellow contestants, including Faithful runner-up Mollie Pierce.Â
A source told The Sun the star was ‘clearly very shocked and saddened by the news’.
Only a few months earlier, Colombian national Jessica Andrea Gomez Granda, 28, died after falling overboard the ship near the Channel Islands in October.Â
The vessel is also known as the filming site for Channel 5 drama The Good Ship Murder which stars X Factor winner Shayne Ward.
According to a passenger onboard, the trip was a ‘booze cruise’ to Bruges.
The men involved in the incident were said to be among a party of 20.
Hampshire Police told MailOnline a homicide investigation was launched following the death of the man aboard the MSC Virtuosa in British waters.
The ship left Southampton at 6pm on Saturday with the reports being made at around 8.30pm that a man, 60, had died following an ‘altercation’.
Mr Messhem’s next of kin were informed and supported by specialist officers.
His body is believed to have been kept aboard the ship until Monday morning when it docked back in the Horizon terminal in Hampshire.
The TV star was spotted by fellow passenger Lynda Hardiman-Pearce, both pictured, who runs a catering business
Ms Hardiman-Pearce added: ‘Harry from Traitors was on board with a big group of family, but they were low-key and just had a nice time together’
MSC Virtuosa is seen here berthed at the City Cruise Terminal in Southampton ahead of its first sailing on May 20 2021
The luxury cruise vessel (pictured in May 2021) is at the centre of a new police investigation
According to the Maritime Injury Guide, most large cruise ships will have a morgue on board and which typically has space for between three to six bodies.
Detective Chief Insp Matt Gillooly, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s senior investigating officer, said: ‘We want to reassure you that this appears to be an isolated incident onboard and we want to thank the crew for their cooperation and assistance with our enquiries.’
A spokesman for MSC Virtuosa said: ‘Following an incident on board our ship, the relevant authorities were contacted, and we are co-operating fully with their investigations. We are providing full support to those impacted.’
