All Saints actor commits suicide

Xavi6

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=622095

All Saints actor Mark Priestley found dead

All Saints actor Mark Priestley has been found dead.

It is believed the 32-year-old killed himself after jumping off a building in Sydney's CBD.

Police confirmed the body of a 32-year-old man had been found on the awning of a building in Market Street late yesterday afternoon.

A police spokesperson said the incident was "definitely not being treated as suspicious."

Priestley was reportedly suffering from depression.

A statement issued by the Seven Network said Priestley was a "tremendous young person" who was loved and respected by his fellow All Saints cast members and crew.

"Mark was such a brilliant artist...his work on stage and screen was admired by everybody who knew him," Seven’s Director of Programming and Production Tim Worner wrote in the statement.

"His death is such a sad loss. We at Channel Seven will miss his energy and smile.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark’s family and friends.”

Priestley played male nurse Dan Goldman in Seven's popular hospital series. Click to see photos of Priestley

In the show's most recent episode, Priestley's character Dan Goldman married his fellow nurse Erica Templeton.

Fans of the TV show have already expressed their disbelief at the news of Priestley's death.

On Facebook's All Saint's page, fan "Trent" said he was "truly shocked".

"I had seen Mark not all that long ago in Newtown, he looked really happy and he was eating at my favourite pasta bar."

"I just can't believe that I never knew he was suffering depression.

"My thoughts are with his family and cast of All Saints."

Fans have also flooded message boards on the All Saints website, writing "RIP" tributes to Priestley.

"I am still in shock, Mark Priestley was a talented actor and one of my favourites from All Saints," one fan wrote.

"My heart goes out to his family, friends and castmates at this terrible time.... such a sad loss."

Priestley was born in Perth in 1976, attended private boys' school Aquinas College and graduated from NIDA in 1999 after moving to Sydney.

His first big TV break was when he appeared in the ABC mini-series The Farm in 2000.

Priestley also had a semi-regular role in The Secret Life of Us and appeared in Blue Heelers before his first on-air episode in All Saints in July 2004.

A keen theatre performer, Priestley had also worked with the Bell Shakespeare Company.

If you need support or information about suicide prevention contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263).

Not sure if TV3 still show All Saints but I'm sure some people would be familiar with him.

Very sad that he got to that stage of depression.

RIP

A.Partridge

Sad news indeed.

JP Liz

RIP

I really liked his character Dan in the show

Dizzyblonde

I was watching All Saints last night and thinking what a nice Character Dan was.
RIP

spurious

How sad.

Fast_Mover

OMG that's awful news. Loved his character in the show.

Posy

That's terrible. RIP.

JP Liz

Fans of All Saints will be glued to their sets on Tuesday night for the final, sad appearance of Mark Priestley, who died in tragic circumstances in August.
The episode shows Priestley as Nurse Dan Goldman doing what he does best, working hard as part of the team of the Western General Hospital. Behind the scenes, as we now know, there was another drama playing out.
His untimely exit also created challenges for producers who were mid-storyline with Priestley's character and his recent on-screen wedding to Erica Templeton (Jolene Anderson). Without giving away the plotline for the episode, Dr. Frank Campion (John Howard) as the show's paternal figure delivers news to the remaining hospital staff that Nurse Dan is gone "indefinitely."
It would have been an emotional scene to shoot.
It isn't the first time producers have had to resolve an actor's exit without the luxury of shooting final scenes. John Ritter died during production of 8 Simple Rules leaving producers to simply say he had died while going to the grocery store, in an episode titled "Goodbye." Over on The West Wing, actor John Spencer who played White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry also died suddenly. As such an integral character, the show even devoted an episode to a funeral for McGarry. No doubt it was a farewell for viewers almost as much as it was for those in the production.
The final episode for Priestley is marked by changes of no less than four of the hospital staff (you'll have to watch to learn how), to be followed a week later by the final episode of the year. All Saints airs 9:30pm Tuesday on Seven.