Ann Widdecombe stopped replying to messages minutes before police believe she was attacked, texts seen by ITV News reveal.

A producer was discussing with the former MP her scheduled appearance on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show on Wednesday afternoon.

In a WhatsApp conversation shared with ITV News, the producer is discussing with Widdecombe details about the appearance and asks her to join a Zoom call from her home.

The conversation shows they were regularly exchanging messages between 12.14pm and 12.19pm on Wednesday.

The last message Widdecombe sent at 12.19pm said: “Received! Panic over!!”.

A WhatsApp read receipt shows Widdecombe read a response sent at 12.19pm but did not read any of the subsequent messages from the producer, with the first follow-up sent at 12.48pm.

The producer attempted to call Widdecombe numerous times but received no answer.

At 12.55pm the producer said: “Hi Ann is everything ok?”.

At 1.27pm Allwright confirmed live on his show that Widdecombe was scheduled as a guest, but that she had not turned up.

The show’s production team followed up with Widdecombe’s agent on Wednesday evening and on Thursday morning.

All of the WhatsApp messages have been passed on to the police.

Devon and Cornwall Police said on Saturday it is believed Widdecombe was attacked on Wednesday at around 12.30pm.

The ex-Tory prisons minister was found dead at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor at around 11.40am on Thursday after sustaining serious injuries.

Widdecombe appeared on TalkTV on Wednesday morning, discussing the by-election in Clacton.

A 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murdering Widdecombe was released from custody on Saturday and is no longer part of the investigation.

Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said on Saturday: “Our inquiries are moving at pace for a suspect who is believed to be a white male.”

Widdecombe was a Conservative MP between 1987 and 2010 for the Kent constituency of Maidstone, later Maidstone and the Weald, and held several ministerial positions in Sir John Major’s government.

In her post-Commons career, she appeared on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, partnered with Anton du Beke, and reached the semi-finals thanks to the public vote.

She became a member of Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party in 2019 and served as an MEP representing South West England in Brussels between 2019 and 2020.

She later became the immigration and justice spokeswoman for Farage’s Reform UK and remained active in the media.

She also found fame outside politics after starring in Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.