Flog It! expert Michael Baggott shared a series of distressing videos from his hospital bed before his tragic death. Tributes poured in following the announcement that he had died after suffering a heart attack.
Baggott had been hospitalised since October following a stroke and had previously posted concerning videos. In one video from December, he said: “It’s been a week now and I’ve been able to take fluids for two days. I was left without any water at all and have become badly dehydrated.”
He added: “For the last three days, I’ve been given a litre of water, which has been insufficient to stop me being dehydrated. The gaps between being given water have been 15 hours, 17 hours with no water, 12 hours with no water and currently 15 hours with no water intravenous.
“I’m dying of thirst in a British NHS hospital and no one seems prepared to do anything about it. I want to say the nursing staff, the junior doctors here, have been the saving grace. They all want to help but they can’t. The senior management and the senior doctors, who I never see, always refuse water, always refuse treatment,” reports Bristol Live.
Describing his experiences with doctors, he claimed: “One told me yesterday If I don’t buck up my ideas, in three weeks I’ll never be able to walk again. Of course the junior staff told me that was nonsense, but it’s symptomatic of the treatment in this place. All the staff are busting their gut to help you, the management and the senior surgeons are not.”
After the videos, he updated followers with a written clarification, stating that he was in his “fifth bed bound week”, before sharing a new post on where he described feeling “happier” and “more hopeful”. In a recorded message, he said: “Hydration at last, Radio 3 blaring and slightly happier, slightly more hopeful. Thank you for everybody who either came or sent a message. Hopefully the way back starts now.”
His death was confirmed in a statement posted on his X account on Tuesday, which read: “Heartbroken to share that Michael died yesterday in hospital of a heart attack following a stroke in October. He was a dearly loved son, brother, nephew and uncle who will be deeply and profoundly missed. There will be a memorial service in the coming weeks, the details of which will be shared here.”
Many have paid tribute following the sad news.
Flog It! expert Nick Hall tweeted: “So sorry to hear this, Michael was a true connoisseur and ambassador of the antiques world, a font of knowledge and generous with his knowledge, a raconteur and all round top bloke, a pleasure to have known you Michael.”