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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Tom Bedford & Laura Sharman

First picture of popular student, 18, who died while celebrating end of uni exams

A first-class student who worked alongside Jack Whitehall and Eva Longoria has died after collapsing on a night out.

George Franks-Herbert, 18, was celebrating the end of exams with friends at Gravity nightclub in Bristol when he became unwell on February 1.

Parents Diane and Peter, from Pontyclun in Wales, were woken by police at 3am to be told their youngest of four children had died after medics were unable to revive him.

Officers said there were no suspicious circumstances and his family have been told that he died from a “medical event”.

The biochemistry student was an extra in TV Casualty and had acted alongside Whitehall and Longoria in the BBC's Decline and Fall.

Mum Diane, 57, said: “Acting and performing was his hobby. He went to stage school from being very young.

“His first stage role was when he was just five months old playing baby Jesus in a church nativity.”

Dad Peter, 60, had also been studying biochemistry at Bristol University, reports Wales Online.

The retired biochemist said: “He came home for Christmas and spent the whole time studying for his exams. He was doing very well at university.

“George was the baby of the family, that’s why we are going to miss him so much.

“He was modest, kind, warm, caring and shy - we’ve had so many messages saying he was a lovely and thoughtful young man.

“We are waiting for the post mortem results but we’ve been told it was a medical event."

The couple said they travelled to Bristol regularly to take George out for meals as a break from his studies and he made regular trips back home during his first term in the city.

Peter said: “He came home every few weeks and we would go and see him.

“We have been spending time looking at old photographs and remembering happy times together.”

Professor Sarah Purdy, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Experience at Bristol University, paid tribute to George.

She said: "We are all very sorry to hear about the death of first-year Biochemistry student George Franks-Herbert.

"On behalf of the University, I would like to offer our sincere condolences to his family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.

"George was a popular student who had made lots of friends and he was enjoying his time in Bristol.

"Academically, he was doing really well, thriving in his studies and getting first-class marks.

"I know this news will affect many of our students and staff deeply.

"We are in the process of reaching out to George’s friends and those who studied with him to offer our help and support, and we encourage anyone who is affected by this tragic news to contact our wellbeing services for support."

George was a member of his local Stagecoach school.

A spokesperson for the school said: “George started at Stagecoach as a four-year-old and in July 2021 received his 14-year award.

“George was clever, funny, genuine, good-natured and determined. We are truly grateful to have known, taught and loved him.

“He turned 18 last June and left Stagecoach last summer to go into the world to further his education.

“He had such a bright future ahead."

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