- For help and support, call Samaritans on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit samaritans.org
A Britain’s Got Talent dancer told the person accusing her of a ‘sexual’ offence that she would take her own life if the allegation came out, an inquest has heard.
Kerri-Anne Donaldson, who reached the semi-final of the ITV show in 2014 as part of the dance group Kings and Queens, was found dead at her home in Farnborough, Hampshire, on June 7 2023.
An inquest held at Winchester Coroners Court was told that the 38-year-old was arrested on June 4 and questioned at Basingstoke police station about the ‘sexual’ offence which she denied.
After going missing and being found at a Travelodge hotel in Woking, Surrey, she was taken to hospital having taken an overdose.
Following her discharge, Ms Donaldson was found hanged at her home on the following day.
The court heard that Britain’s Got Talent dancer was interviewed by police on video about the allegation and told officers that she would take her own life ‘if someone finds out’ about the allegation.
Detective Constable Benjamin Harris, of Hampshire Constabulary, who led the interview, said that he had considered the possibility that Ms Donaldson’s reported comments could be a ‘form of control’ against the complainant.
Responding to coroner Jason Pegg, he said: ‘In my experience in some offences it can often be said without wanting to carry it out.’
He said that the suggestion of self-harm was ‘something we take very seriously’ and he reported it to his senior officers and advised his colleagues who subsequently arrested Ms Donaldson on June 4.
Det Con Harris said that after the interview he graded Ms Donaldson’s risk of self-harm as ‘standard’.
He said: ‘When I spoke to Kerri, which was after the interview, in the cell she presented to me at that time that she was fine, so normal.
‘She had no indication that she wanted to take her own life, when that was spoken about with her she gave no indication that would happen.’
He added that she had told him she had seen a counsellor previously and added: ‘She knew how to get help and she was in no way considering harming herself.’
He said that ‘with the benefits of hindsight’ he should have included a question about the complainant’s comments when making the risk assessment of Ms Donaldson.
Det Con Harris added that the police did not have the powers to detain someone unless they presented an ‘imminent’ danger to themselves.
The inquest into her death, which opened yesterday, heard how Ms Donaldson had been arrested on June 4 and questioned at a police station about a ‘sexual’ offence, which she denied.
After she was released, she failed to return home, leading her family to report her as a missing person before she was found at a Travelodge hotel in Woking, Surrey.
Her sister, Cara Donaldson, told the hearing that when she arrived there, Ms Donaldson was being taken to hospital in an ambulance having taken an overdose.
Ms Donaldson was discharged and returned home with her sister Cara on June 6, during which she revealed she had wanted to take her own life.
Her sister said that Ms Donaldson was ’emotional, crying, every time I brought up certain things’, particularly the allegations which had been made against her.
Coroner Jason Pegg asked whether she ‘[indicated] they were a sexual offence?’, and she responded ‘Yeah, she told me exactly what they were’.
They spent the evening together and Ms Donaldson assured her sister she was ‘not going to do’ anything after she left. The sisters continued messaging each other until about midnight on June 7.
Cara said: ‘I think one of the last messages she said “Thanks for everything today”, and put a red heart emoji.’
Tragically, when Cara visited her the next morning, she discovered her sister had died.
Ms Donaldson performed on the ITV talent show in 2014 as part of the super-group Kings and Queens alongside future Strictly Come Dancing professionals.
Other members of the troupe included Kai Widdrington and Neil and Katya Jones, all three of whom later became professional dancers on Strictly.
Paying tribute at the time of her death, Strictly professional Mr Jones said Ms Donaldson was ‘like a big sister’.
He wrote on X: ‘Kerri Anne Donaldson- remember that name and please never forget it because it belongs to a woman who loved to dance, create and perform, she had the cheekiest laugh and a heart of gold, she hated getting in the car with me, but would always listen to my crazy ideas, we shared so many moments and stories and she was always the voice of reason. Kerri you were my friend and like my big sister.’
Kevin Clifton also shared his upset, writing: ‘Absolutely heartbroken. I’ve known Kerri since we were kids and she was always the loveliest girl.
‘A friend and a dance partner. I’m glad we got to dance together this xmas. And that the whole cast of Strictly Ballroom got to work with you in rehearsals. RIP.’
The inquest comes just days after a different inquest found Strictly star Robin Windsor took his own life in a hotel room after suffering years of depression.
At the time, he left a suicide note saying the BBC ‘destroyed me’ after he was dropped from the show and was ‘vulnerable to rejection both emotionally and professionally’.
The inquest heard yesterday was told that Ms Donaldson’s post-mortem examination gave a cause of death of hanging and it also found that she had non-fatal levels of medication in her blood which were consistent with an overdose.
The inquest also was told that the song ‘You are so beautiful’ was playing on repeat when Ms Donaldson was found.
A folded-up photograph of her dog was also found with the writing: ‘If only you knew how many times you had saved me.’
A number of photo books and canvases of family members were also found including a photo of Ms Donaldson with Cara with the words ‘I am so sorry’.
A photograph of their parents also had the words on it: ‘I am so sorry, I made the mistake of trust, I wish I could start again.’
Cara said she had asked her sister about the allegation and her sister had told her that she was not guilty and that it had ‘all been constructed’.
Describing her sister, she said: ‘Heart of gold, full of fun, brought happiness to life, especially mine, career-driven, adored her family, adored her friends, fantastic dance teacher, everyone loved her.’
She said her sister had been on television a few times and added: ‘Her main passion was to choreograph dancing.’
Cara also said that her sister had previously spoken about the ‘struggle making sure I can get the money in’ from her job running a dance studio but she said that these were the ‘usual worries’.
She said that Ms Donaldson had told her that she wanted a ‘big house and car’ and added: ‘She just wanted to be rich and famous.’
The hearing continues.
For help and support, call Samaritans on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit samaritans.org
