The victim of a knife murder in west London on Saturday was the cousin of Alex Beresford, the Good Morning Britain weatherman’s agent has confirmed.
Nathaniel Armstrong, 29, was killed just 11 days after Mr Beresford made an impassioned on-air speech about knife crime.
Mr Armstrong was stabbed in the early hours of the morning around 100 metres from his Fulham home. He died in Gowan Avenue, the same street where TV presenter Jill Dando was murdered twenty years ago.
Mr Beresford’s agent confirmed they were cousins as friends remembered Mr Armstrong as a “big friendly giant” who loved basketball.
The weatherman interjected in a live debate about knife crime on Good Morning Britain on March 5.
Telling how he grew up in communities affected by knife crime, he said prison is “not a deterrent” to attackers.
“Some of these boys, they don’t fear prison, if you don’t change the environment it won’t change anything and that’s the key thing,” He said.
“This has been happening for years.”
Detectives said yesterday they were hunting a six-foot-tall, light-skinned black male in connection with the murder but no arrests have been made.
One of Mr Armstrong’s friends, who gave his name as George, 30, said: “We don’t know how this happened.
“He’s got a lot of friends who live local to here. He was well-known in the local area.
“Everyone in the area would have know him from basketball.”
He added: “He was super friendly, a BFG. He looked super scary – six foot seven, big beard – but super friendly. It would shock you how friendly he was.”
Police are investigating after a fatal stabbing in #Fulham – the victim, a 29yo man, was pronounced dead at the scene. A crime scene is in place; no arrests at this early stage. Those with info – call 101 ref CAD 179/16March https://t.co/8Z8qDmnJvG pic.twitter.com/cfi8hrWRcE
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 16, 2019
Detective chief inspector Glen Lloyd, who is leading the inquiry, said: “We are appealing for information from those who were out and about in the area at the time of the attack and saw anything of note.
“My team is particularly keen to trace a light-skinned black male, approximately 6ft tall, who was seen near the scene at the time of the incident.
TV presenter Ms Dando was 37 when she was shot in the head on the doorstep of her home in Gowan Avenue on April 26 1999.