TV star accused of murder plot speaks of relief as CPS drops case
A former Big Breakfast TV fitness guru accused of attempted murder in a supposed 'death by chocolate' plot has spoken of his relief after the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case against him.Former Channel 4 star Jody Bunting, 47, was accused of trying to kill his ex-colleague Kimberley Hoskins by deliberately leaving a Cadbury's Dairy Milk Fruit and Nut in a cupboard at Mickleover Court Hotel Leisure Club in Derby.Ms Hoskins, 27, who has a severe allergy to cocoa, was rushed to hospital after suffering a reaction after Mr Bunting left the bar out for staff to share as he left for a holiday in October 2023.She was taken to the intensive care unit at the Royal Derby Hospital and Mr Bunting has now told how he was 'paraded in handcuffs around Luton Airport' when he was arrested on his return to the UK after being accused of conspiring to kill her.Officers took Mr Bunting, who was a fitness instructor at the club, to St Mary's Wharf police station in Derby, leaving him in a cell for two hours before interviewing him.Since then Mr Bunting, whose given name is Joseph Spendlove, says he has lived in 'constant torment' for 18 months as he waited for the outcome of the investigation. He said he felt intense 'relief' after a decision this month by the CPS to take no action against him - but Ms Hoskins is now taking him and the club to an employment tribunal, claiming he had been 'plotting with colleagues to throw chocolate into my office to get rid of me'.During the ordeal, Mr Bunting moved to Morocco, and on Wednesday, March 12 - a year and a half after his arrest - Jody's mother received a letter from a solicitor that the family had been waiting for. TV fitness guru Jody Bunting (left) has been cleared of wrongdoing after it was claimed he tried to kill a colleague Kimberley Hoskins (right) with a bar of chocolate Leisure club manager Kimberley Hoskins (pictured) is now taking Mr Bunting and the health club to employment tribunal over the incident, which left her in hospital'We write to simply confirm that we now have been informed by the police that they are taking no further action against you,' the letter read.Speaking about the moment he was told the news, which came via a phone call from his mother , Mr Bunting said: 'This has been going on for so long and we always get letters from the solicitor, so I think when my mum saw it come through the door, we weren't really expecting good or bad news.'But she was just so relieved, she was relieved more than me. The whole thing has just been he-said-she-said and it has been so hard on her to understand what was going on.'For me, my professional career had been put on hold. I felt I had to get away from Derby because people would always ask me about the case and I found it really hard to be unable to return to the hotel where I worked, where I also had lots of friends and a job.'The whole thing turned my life upside-down and I have finally been given the justice I deserve.'Since moving to Morocco, Mr Bunting has continued coaching online and enjoys the sunny climate in North Africa as opposed to his native Hatton - and he has also found a partner over there, with the two recently getting engaged.'I have also met a guy in the last year. We have been living together in Morocco and we recently got engaged as well,' he said.'The thought of marrying the love of my life is what keeps me going after what has been a year of hell.' The 47-year-old former Big Breakfast star Jody Bunting was accused of deliberately sparking the massive allergic reaction Jody Bunting had been on holiday in Morocco as police investigated him for alleged attempted murder – and he was arrested as he returned to the UKRead More TV fitness guru Jody Bunting cleared of 'trying to kill allergic boss by planting chocolate bar' Derbyshire police previously confirmed that, following an investigation into an incident at Mickleover Court Hotel, Derby, in October 2023, a 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and wounding with intent.Police say that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) made the decision to take no further action against the man after reviewing the evidence.A spokesperson for the force said: 'We understand the impact that a long-running investigation can have on those involved, however, it is the duty of the force to thoroughly and proportionately investigate reports made to us.'The offence that was reported to the force was serious, and the public would rightly expect officers to make all relevant enquiries and gather evidence. On this occasion it was found there was insufficient evidence for a prosecution to be brought.'A 78-page document shows that Ms Hoskins, who left her job at the hotel in 2024, is taking both the hotel and Mr Bunting to an employment tribunal, with claims that the allergy to cocoa amounted to a disability - and that she suffered an unfair dismissal.She is also claiming that, under the Equality Act 2010, she suffered direct discrimination, discrimination arising from disability, harassment on the basis of disability and that the hotel did not make reasonable adjustments to accommodate her disability.A statement from Ms Hoskins, detailing her allergy to chocolate and the way it was perceived by the hotel and staff - including Mr Bunting - said: 'At all material times I have suffered from a severe allergy to cocoa.'My allergy is so severe that if I come into close contact with cocoa products e.g chocolate, it may trigger an anaphylactic shock and lead to potentially fatal cardiorespiratory arrest. Jody Bunting is a former star of the popular TV show The Big Breakfast (pictured) The TV personality has responded to the latest development by saying he was 'relieved''I believe I am and was at all material times disabled within the definition set out in section 6 [of the Equality Act].'I believe that the [hotel] had knowledge of my disability from around May 10, 2021 because I had told them about it prior to the commencement of my employment so that they could assess the risk of the workplace to me and make any adjustments. 'The [hotel] completed a risk assessment concerning my allergy dated September 28, 2023.'[Bunting] was aware of my disability prior to October 21, 2023. He used to joke that I could suffer 'death by chocolate' and in 2017 was aware I had been taken to A&E as a result of exposure to cocoa at another hotel we both worked at.'Ms Hoskins claims that staff were not given training to understand anaphylaxis and the potential effect cocoa has on Ms Hoskins. Mr Bunting previously told how he took in the bar of chocolate for colleagues because he was aware Ms Hoskins was off sick.He said: 'I took it in during a morning shift and left it in a cupboard in reception where we keep things like towels. It was for me and my friends to eat - I assumed the evening staff would finish it off.'The thing is that Kimberley wasn't even in work that day as she was off sick. We aren't allowed to bring it in when she's working.'And I wasn't even in the country when she had the allergic reaction - it was five days later when I was in Morocco. But they had the CCTV footage of me arriving with the chocolate.'Kimberley is so allergic to it, she can have a reaction even through airborne contact. - so she just has to be in the same room as chocolate to get ill.'But during those five days, hundreds of people would have come in and out with chocolate - you've got people with protein shakes, kids with bars.'So I don't even know how the police can dare say it was my chocolate that caused this. We even sell chocolate protein bars at the health club.'Mickleover Court, Ms Hoskins, and Ms Hoskins' representatives have been contacted for comment.
