FAMILY OF FORMER CHILD ACTOR WILLIAM CHAPMAN DEMANDS PRIVACY AFTER TRAGIC DEATH IN TIGER ENCLOSURE

The family of William Harry Bruce Chapman has urged the public to stop sharing footage of his final moments as investigators continue examining the circumstances surrounding his death at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

The family of former child actor William Chapman is facing an agonising wait for answers after the 24-year-old died inside a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

More than a month after the incident, their message to the public remains deeply personal: stop circulating videos of what happened and allow them to grieve in peace.

William, whose full name was William Harry Bruce Chapman, died on October 10, 2026, after entering an enclosure housing an Amur tiger named Altai at the wildlife park in Doncaster, England.

His death has prompted investigations into the circumstances of the incident, including questions about his mental health support and the safety arrangements at the attraction.

A visit that ended in tragedy

The opening inquest hearing, held at Doncaster Coroner’s Court on October 15, heard that William had visited the park alone.

At around 1:30 p.m., he climbed over two fences and entered the tiger enclosure.

He subsequently suffered multiple traumatic injuries following contact with the animal. Emergency services attended, but he could not be saved.

An initial post-mortem examination recorded multiple traumatic injuries.

The tiger, Altai, was not euthanised following the incident. The wildlife park temporarily closed before reopening on October 16.

Questions surrounding his mental health support

Evidence presented at the initial inquest hearing revealed that William had a history of mental health difficulties, including schizophrenia and previous episodes of psychosis.

He had been receiving support from adult mental health services in Doncaster. However, he was described during the hearing as independent and highly functioning, with no care requirements.

His family has raised concerns about the support he received before his death.

The Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust has launched an investigation into his care. Due to patient confidentiality, the trust has not publicly disclosed the details of his treatment.

The investigation is expected to help establish whether there were any concerns surrounding the care he received and whether they are relevant to the circumstances of his death.

His family wants the videos to stop circulating

Beyond the official investigations, the family is also dealing with the distress caused by footage of the incident being shared online.

In their statement, they remembered William as a “bright, warm and engaging young man”.

They explained that the circulation of videos was causing them considerable pain and appealed to people not to share or repost the material.

Their request is for compassion and respect at a time when they are trying to come to terms with an unimaginable loss.

William had previously appeared in television productions, including ITV’s May Contain Nuts and the BBC’s True Stories. His former stage school also paid tribute to him, remembering his time as a student and his experience as a young performer.

Multiple investigations are still underway

The circumstances of the incident are also being examined by City of Doncaster Council, which is responsible for licensing the wildlife park.

The council has launched a health and safety investigation and is working with relevant agencies. Its findings are expected to be shared with the coroner.

At this stage, no final conclusions have been reached about responsibility, the enclosure’s safety arrangements or the circumstances that led William to enter the enclosure.

Full inquest scheduled for March 2027

A full inquest is scheduled to take place on March 18, 2027.

The hearing is expected to examine further evidence surrounding William’s death, including the events at the wildlife park and relevant information from the investigations into his care.

For his family, the coming months will mean waiting for answers while continuing to mourn someone they described as much more than the subject of a tragic headline.

They have asked the public to remember William with compassion, respect their privacy and stop sharing footage of the incident.