Mystic Meg dead: Astrologer Margaret Lake who shot to fame on National Lottery dies aged 80
Mystic Meg has died aged 80 following a short illness, her agent has confirmed.
The astrologer and clairvoyant - whose real name was Margaret Lake - shot to fame in the 1990s with her weekly National Lottery predictions.
Her segment Mystic Meg Predicts would see her attempt to predict facts about the future winner.
She passed away at 3.45am on Thursday after being admitted to St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, last month with the flu.
Despite her fame, she lived alone in a three-bedroom flat in Notting Hill, which she shared with her seven cats, who she claimed had “found her and moved in.”
Her agent of 34 years, Dave Shapland, told the The Sun: “Without any question, she was Britain’s most famous astrologer by a million miles.
“Nobody came close to Meg in that respect. She was followed by millions in this country and also around the world.
“She even became part of the English language – if a politician, somebody from showbiz or ordinary people in the street are asked a tricky question they will say ‘’Who do you think I am, Mystic Meg?’’... It shows what an impact she made.”
Piers Morgan - who worked with Meg at the News of the World - also paid tribute, hailing her as “Britain’s most famous astrologer” and a “fascinatingly mysterious lady who loved her work with a passion but was rarely seen or heard in public.”
He added: “I was her editor at the News of the World for several years and she was extraordinarily professional in everything she did. A master of her very popular craft.”
More to follow.
