A dedicated family doctor with a “glistening future” jumped to his death after feeling unable to talk about his own mental health for fear of losing his job.

Shocked onlookers watched in horror as Dr Miles Christie , 43, walked onto Archway Bridge in north London, and leapt 80 feet to his death.

The dad plummeted on to the busy double carriageway on the afternoon of May 14 this year, an inquest heard.

He left behind his 40-year-old wife Juliette Stern and their two children, aged just three and five.

Juliette, a producer with animation production company Passion Pictures, told the inquest at St Pancras Coroner's Court that she had been married to her husband for six years.

In a statement read to the hearing, she said: “He was a hugely charismatic, kind, positive and gentle soul.

“He was adventurous and had a genuine interest in life and in people.

“He had the ability to engage with people from all walks of life.

"It is very difficult to come to terms with how someone can unravel like this."

The inquest heard that on the day of his death Dr Christie had planned to go swimming with his brother and left his home in Muswell Hill, north London, with his swimwear in his pocket.

He was later seen pacing up and Archway Bridge at around 3.30pm wearing a blue T-shirt and jeans, before jumping to his death.

Dr Christie died at the scene despite paramedics desperate attempts to save his life, the inquest heard.

The inquest heard he had struggled with work-life balance while caring for patients at two separate practices, and feeling increasingly anxious about financial pressures.

Dr Christie worked day and night at the Burnley Medical Practice NHS surgery in Willesden, north west London, and at the private Knightsbridge Doctors in west London which he planned to move to full-time, the hearing was told.

But the inquest heard that after resigning from his position as an NHS practitioner, he became increasingly anxious and expressed concerns about the contract and overhead costs related to taking over the Knightsbridge practice.

He began working longer hours and lost around eight kilos (17.6 lbs) in weight, the inquest heard.

In the days leading up to his death, he was also sent five invoices mistakenly informing him he owed money to cover a gap in his Medical Protection Society (MPS) membership, totalling around £48,000 – despite only owing £3,000.

The global organisation offers protection for doctors, dentists and healthcare professionals and helps them to understand and navigate the challenges of modern practice.

The inquest heard that a fellow young doctor at the the Knightsbridge practice spoke often with Dr Christie who said he had been suffering from headaches , poor sleep and night sweats which appeared to be due to anxiety.

Dr Christie was accompanied by his father Dr Peter Christie, a retired paediatrician, to see a psychiatrist days before his death.

But he denied having suicidal thoughts because of his two young children, when speaking with a psychiatrist two days prior to his death on May 14.

Coroner Mary Hassell concluded that Dr Christie had taken his own life.

Several friends, relatives and colleagues left the inquest in tears.

Summing up, the Coroner said: "He was an excellent doctor.

"He was very in demand. He had quite obviously a tremendously loving family and everyone wanted to help him out."

She said she believed Dr Christie "could not see the wood for the trees" after becoming so "poorly" with his mental health.

She added: "There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that he did take his own life.

"I don't think that the money worries or the work worries or any of the worries explain why."

Speaking after the hearing, Dr Christie's brother told of the stigma surrounding doctors and mental health.

Phil Christie, 39, said: "There is a stigma surrounding doctors and mental health.

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