Natasha Collins, a BBC Children's television actress, died after taking a “very significant” amount of cocaine, sleeping pills and vodka at a party with her fiancee, fellow children’s presenter Mark Speight. Speight, 42, found her dead in the bath with 60 per cent burns at their London flat in January 2008.

While she had taken enough cocaine to kill her, it was likely a heart problem had caused her to lose conciousness in the bath, an inquest heard.

Speight was arrested on suspicion of murder and supplying Class A drugs but was not charged. He was found hanged in an outbuilding at Paddington Station in April 2008.

Frank Bough earned a reputation as a housewives' favourite in the 1970s and 80s but in 1988 admitted to taking cocaine and wearing women's underwear at parties with prostitutes.

Four years later the host of programmes including Grandstand, Nationwide and the BBC’s Breakfast Time, the corporation’s first early-morning television show, was photographed by a Sunday newspaper apparently entering a sado-masochistic brothel.

He lost his job presenting the BBC’s Holiday but moved to LWT, appeared on Have I Got News For You in 1993 after host Angus Deayton made numerous references to his indiscretions, and worked in local radio. Now 76, he was absent from last year’s Breakfast Time 25th anniversary reunion.

Richard Bacon was sacked after the News of the World revealed: “Blue Peter goody-goody is a cocaine snorting sneak”. BBC children’s programming chief Lorraine Heggessey appeared on the show to announce his downfall, telling viewers: “I believe that Richard has not only let himself down . . . but he’s also let all of you down badly.” Aged 21 when he was sacked, Bacon has not been out of work since. He popped up shortly afterwards on Channel 4’s Big Breakfast and returned to the BBC to front Top of the Pops. Going on to forge a career in radio, he is now on Radio 5 Live.

Kevin Greening, a former Radio 1 DJ, died of a heart attack in 2007 after taking cocaine, ecstasy and GHB, following a bondage session on the eve of his 45th birthday.

He was found dead by police at the home of his partner, Sean Griffin, in December 2007 "having indulged in unorthodox sexual behaviour involving restraint equipment and illegal drugs", his inquest heard. He had been suspended in a black leather sling from scaffolding in the bedroom, wearing a rubber suit and bound with cling film and gaffer tape.

Angus Deayton, the host of Have I Got News For You, got a mauling on his own show after it was revealed he had stripped naked and snorted cocaine with a high-class prostitute. He was dropped from the programme as the BBC said his position had become “untenable”, but he has continued to appear on a number of shows, especially in connection with Comic Relief and Sport Relief.

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