Beau Jessup, 27, Dies While Studying at Columbia University

Beau Jessup, the daughter of British actress and television presenter Lisa Maxwell, has died at 27 while studying in New York, according to Columbia University. The school announced her death in a social media post but did not disclose when or where it happened, or the cause. Jessup was enrolled in the Columbia Journalism School’s master’s program and was expected to graduate next May. She appeared in the school’s Class of 2027 listing in September. A message from dean Jelani Cobb, cited by the Daily Mail, described her as a “cherished member” of the community and offered condolences to her family and friends. Before moving to the United States, Jessup studied at the London School of Economics and the University of Cambridge. She had spoken about her interest in journalism and the responsibility involved in telling other people’s stories. Reflecting on growing up with a famous parent, she said she had long been curious about who gets to shape public narratives and how those accounts can simplify or distort someone’s experience. Jessup had also built an entrepreneurial venture connected to Chinese naming. Her mother, Maxwell, is known for acting in the police drama The Bill and for appearing as a panelist on Loose Women. Maxwell was once cast as Daphne Moon in Frasier before Jane Leeves took the role, and also appeared on The Benny Hill Show. Columbia’s statement offered no further details about Jessup’s death. The Daily Mail reported that it had sought comment from city agencies and from a spokesperson for Maxwell. Jessup’s father, Paul Jessup, runs a toy brand specializing in teddy bears.