Man Killed by Tiger Was Former Child Actor

A 24-year-old man who died after jumping into a tiger enclosure at a Yorkshire zoo had a past career as a child actor, with appearances in ITV and BBC productions. William Chapman appeared in the two-part ITV comedy "May Contain Nuts" in 2009, starring alongside Shirley Henderson, known for her role as Moaning Myrtle in the "Harry Potter" films. Chapman played Alfie Chaplin, the son of Henderson's character, in the drama.

He also featured in the BBC series "True Stories" in 2012, portraying a young Edward Jenner, the physician and scientist. A further role in the ITV period drama "Breathless" followed in 2013. According to a blog post by his mother from 2014, Chapman began attending the Jackie Palmer Stage School at the age of four and displayed a passion for acting.

His mother recalled his audition for "May Contain Nuts" when he was around five years old. "He has learnt a great deal in his time there, and whilst he doesn't enjoy singing and dancing so much now he's a teenager, he is passionate about acting and drama," she wrote. His other acting credits included radio roles, commercials, children's television, a pantomime, and filming for Oxford University Press. He also had a part as an extra in the 2015 Warner Bros. film "Pan."

Chapman's acting work reportedly decreased during his adolescence. In the days leading up to his death on Saturday at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, near Doncaster, he posted a series of images and videos on social media. One video captured the moment he entered the tiger's pen and approached a Siberian tiger named Altai. Onlookers reported that Chapman had been dancing to music and asked a parkgoer to take his photograph with the tiger in the background before climbing into the enclosure.

Witnesses described him shouting "stop" several times and appearing to make a gesture for "bad" in Makaton, a sign language system. The incident occurred shortly before emergency services were called at 1:35 p.m. Zookeepers attempted to deter the tiger with acoustic gun blasts. Despite efforts to provide medical attention, Chapman was pronounced dead at the scene. His family is being supported by specialist officers.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park, which remained closed following the incident, stated that Altai the tiger would not be euthanized. The City of Doncaster Council, the park's licensing authority, has initiated a health and safety investigation into the death. The park, which opened in 2009, features a two-acre reserve for Amur tigers, an endangered subspecies.