Claire Mosley says she hoped husband Michael had been kidnapped during four-day search in Greece

Claire Mosley, the widow of television doctor and science broadcaster Michael Mosley, said she briefly hoped her husband had been taken alive while he was missing for four days last year, speaking as she promoted a new book about family meals.

Michael Mosley, 67, went missing in June while on a walk during a holiday in Greece and was later found dead; Greek officials said suspected heatstroke was the cause. Claire Mosley told ITV's This Morning that on the third day of the search she had allowed herself the "heartbreaking" thought that he might have been kidnapped, a hope that reflected her wish that he still be alive.

"There were a lot of weird things going on while we were trying to work out what could have possibly happened," she said. As it became clearer that her husband had likely died, she said she clung to the possibility that he was in danger but alive. "It was just something that happened randomly, it was nobody's fault," she added, saying he had "taken the wrong route."

Mosley, a former general practitioner who became well known for producing and presenting television programmes on health, biology and medicine, was the focus of an extensive search on the island before his body was recovered. Claire Mosley said she does not harbour anger over his death. "Who would I be angry with? In a way, I think I've been very lucky not to have complications like that," she told hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley.

To mark the first anniversary of his death the family returned to the island with their children, partners and close friends, though they did not stay long because of the memories associated with the location. Claire Mosley described the months after Michael's death as "a bit of a blur" and said her children provided steady support: "They were incredible. Just so sensitive and supportive. Even some months on, they would pay me surprise visits. They had an informal rota to keep me ticking over."

Her appearance on This Morning also promoted Eating Together, a new book that argues for the benefits of regular family meals. Drawing on research and practical advice, she said family eating rituals foster communication and support children's development. "Children who eat together have larger vocabularies, and do better at school more generally," she said, and they are more likely to maintain a healthy weight and form stronger connections with their parents.

Claire Mosley urged parents to involve children in cooking and to treat mealtimes as an opportunity for shared activity rather than a chore. "It's about bringing children back into the kitchen," she said, adding that making food preparation fun and inclusive encourages healthy habits. She described how the family's ritual of eating together provided comfort during the search and after her husband's death: "It was really profoundly impactful. I was saying 'don't worry about tablecloths, let's just sit' but they said 'no we can all sit together and have a nice meal together' and it was so powerful, the whole cohesive feeling of being connected."

The interview underscored both a personal account of grief and a public health message about family routines and wellbeing. Eating Together is positioned as a practical guide to rebuilding everyday connections through food and shared mealtimes.