Australian TV personality and former model, Charlotte Dawson, was found dead of apparent suicide in her Sydney apartment on Saturday. She was 47-years-old.
Dawson’s body was found at around 11:20 a.m. in her apartment. The residence was scheduled to go up for auction at noon. Reportedly, a Morton and Morton real estate agent found the body when he arrived to inspect the property ahead of the auction. Police confirmed that there were no suspicious circumstances to the death.
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“She touched a lot of people,” former agent of 15 years and friend, Mark Byrne, told The Sydney Morning Herald. “She took me under her wing and was my first big client. She was a friend and mentor as well. She had an acerbic wit and such a media savvy mind – her brain ate media for breakfast.”
The New Zealand native’s death arrives after Australia’s “60 Minutes” aired a controversial tell-all interview earlier this week with her ex-husband, former Olympic swimmer Scott Miller. Although they divorced in 2000, Dawson has said that she still loved Miller and felt he would be the only man she’d ever marry.
In 2012, Dawson attempted to commit suicide after a much-publicized battle with critics on social media aka Twitter Trolls. Some in the media criticized her for speaking out about the battle since she herself was considered to be an abrasive on-screen personality.
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Dawson began modeling at age 16 after landing a contract with Ford Models in New York City. She also served as the beauty and fashion director at Australian magazine, Woman’s Day.
Aside from serving as a judge on “Australia’s Top Model,” her numerous TV credits include “Good Morning Australia,” Australia’s “Today” show and “The Celebrity Apprentice Australia.”