Highlights
- Beau Jessup, the only child of the British actress and presenter Lisa Maxwell and her husband, Paul Jessup, has died aged 27
- She was a student on the master's programme at Columbia Journalism School in New York, and was due to graduate in May 2027
- The school said it "mourns the loss" of Jessup, and its dean called her a "cherished member" of the community
- No cause of death has been reported, and Maxwell and her husband have not commented publicly
Beau Jessup, the daughter of the British actress Lisa Maxwell, has died at the age of 27 while studying journalism in New York.
What has Columbia Journalism School said?
In a statement, the school said it "mourns the loss of Beau Jessup, a student in our M.S. program", and that it joined her "family, friends and classmates in remembering her". It said it was working with her family to provide support and assistance.
The school's dean, Jelani Cobb, wrote to students and staff. "There is no easy way to share news of this nature," he said, "and I recognize how painful it is to receive messages like this one." He described Jessup as a "cherished member" of the school community.
How did Beau Jessup die?
Reports have said only that she died unexpectedly. No cause of death has been shared by the university, and none has been reported. Maxwell and her husband, Paul Jessup, had not made any public statement at the time of writing.
Who was Beau Jessup?
Jessup studied social anthropology at the London School of Economics, then writing for performance at the University of Cambridge, where she reportedly wrote her first play, The Sandbag, about how family, memory and inherited stories shape the way people see themselves. She then moved to the United States for her master's in journalism at Columbia, where she was in the class of 2027.
What did Beau Jessup say about journalism?
Columbia published an interview with Jessup, which it re-shared after her death with her family's permission. In it, she said she wanted "to work as a journalist and writer, reporting on people, culture, and social questions" with the rigour she was learning at Columbia. She said she was drawn to journalism for "its power and immediacy", while continuing to write for the theatre.
She also spoke about growing up as the daughter of a television actress, and said it gave her an unusual awareness of "the distance between people's lives and the stories told about them".
Who is Lisa Maxwell?
Maxwell is an actress and television presenter, best known for playing Samantha Nixon in The Bill from 2001 to 2009, and as a presenter on Loose Women. She had previously posted proudly about her daughter's studies, sharing a picture of the Columbia class of 2027 with the words "Especially my daughter Beau over in NYC making us all super proud."
What happens next?
The school said it is supporting Jessup's family. None of the reports reviewed gives funeral or memorial details.
