Lancaster student and BBC child star dies after being rejected from four medical schools

TW: Suicide

A Lancaster student and former BBC child star died after she was rejected from four medical schools.

Imogen Moorsom, 20, died by suicide one month before moving to Lancaster University to study natural sciences.

She had featured on the BBC in Young Musician of the Year, getting to the final of the show. Imogen was a talent french horn player and played in the National Youth Orchestra.

An inquest heard how she had studied at a London university in 2022, before dropping out in first year due to her mental health.

The Daily Mail reported that after she returned from London, Imogen did voluntary work with Dorset NHS Foundation Trust. However, Imogen, who was an aspiring doctor, decided she wished to return to academia and applied to four medical schools but was rejected from them. This is when she won her place at Lancaster University.

According to the inquest, the rejections caused Imogen’s mental health to decline, and she received treatment at The Priory Hospital, Southampton. She was subsequently discharged, after receiving specialist care, and went on a family holiday in northern England.

It was during this holiday in July 2024 that her mental health deteriorated, only a month before moving to Lancashire. When the family returned, she had meetings with psychiatrists.

On 12th August, she was found dead by her mother, Rosemary Moorsom, in her bedroom at home in Dorset.

Imogen during the Young Musician of the Year competition via BBC

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Rosemary said in a statement, which was read by Richard Middleton, the assistant coroner for Dorset: “On 12th August I woke up at approximately 8am. Imogen went up to bed at around 11:30pm the night before and this was the last time I saw her.

“I went into her room at about 11:40am to let the cat in and I thought she was sleeping in. I saw her bedside light was on which was odd.

“I went over to her…but did not start any CPR because she was cold to the touch because it was clear she had passed away.”

Imogen was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her psychiatrist, Dr Tessa Jones, told the inquest that she had “struggled to live up to her very high standards” and was unable “to accept her failure to get into medical school”.

She further noted that Imogen was also “an intelligent person who was very popular” and appeared to have “planned for [her] future”.

Mr Middleton concluded Imogen’s death was by suicide on the balance of probabilities, saying: “I now offer my deepest sympathies and condolences to all her family and friends in this sad case.”

For confidential support, you can call Samaritans on 116 123, or visit samaritans.org.

Featured image via BBC