Who Was William Chapman? Yorkshire Wildlife Park Tiger Victim Was Former BBC and ITV Child Actor

William Chapman, a former child actor who appeared in BBC and ITV productions, died after entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster on Saturday, 10 October. His family and former stage school have paid tribute to him following his death, while City of Doncaster Council has launched a health and safety investigation into the incident.

Chapman appeared in ITV's May Contain Nuts alongside Shirley Henderson and in the BBC's True Stories series, according to reports citing IMDb. He previously attended Jackie Palmer Stage School in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, which remembered him with 'great fondness'.

Former Stage School Pays Tribute

In a tribute shared on social media, Jackie Palmer Stage School said it was 'deeply saddened' by the death of its former student.

'We loved watching William grow, both as a person and as a performer, during his time with us,' the school said. 'It was a privilege to be part of his journey, and he will be remembered with great fondness by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him.'

The school added that Chapman would be 'truly missed' and would always hold 'a special place in our hearts'.

His family also paid tribute, describing him as 'a bright, warm and engaging young man whom his family dearly loved – and William loved them back'.

The family said they were 'utterly devastated' by the loss and struggling to come to terms with what had happened. They also asked people to stop circulating distressing media content related to his death and to respect the process being followed by the relevant authorities.

What Happened at Yorkshire Wildlife Park?

Emergency services were contacted shortly after 1.30pm on 10 October after Chapman entered the enclosure of an Amur tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

South Yorkshire Police said Chapman was visiting the park alone. The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation.

Reports have described a short video, apparently posted on a now-deleted Instagram account, that appears to have been filmed inside the tiger enclosure. The footage shows the animal on a wooden platform, while distant voices can be heard saying 'Oh my God' and 'seriously'.

The footage does not, by itself, establish Chapman's intentions or explain the circumstances that led to his entry into the enclosure.

The park remained closed on Wednesday, 14 October, for a fifth consecutive day following the incident.

Council Launches Health and Safety Investigation

City of Doncaster Council confirmed on Monday, 12 October, that it had launched a health and safety investigation in line with its statutory duties as the park's licensing authority.

Dan Swaine, the council's executive director of place, said the authority was working with multiple agencies, including the police and health agencies, and supporting Yorkshire Wildlife Park in response to the incident.

'At this time, we won't be commenting further on the individual or the investigation and we ask that the privacy of those involved is respected at this difficult time,' Swaine said.

The council has not announced any findings from the investigation.

Tiger Altai 'Safe and Well'

Yorkshire Wildlife Park said it had received numerous messages from members of the public about Altai, the tiger involved in the incident.

The park confirmed that the animal was 'safe and well' and would not be euthanised. It also said staff had been deeply affected by what happened and were receiving specialist support.

Chapman's death has prompted tributes from his former stage school and family, who have asked for privacy as they grieve. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.