Jonathan Cainer found dead at his York home

Jonathan Cainer was found dead at his home in York early on Monday (May 2).

The internationally-renowned astrologer was discovered collapsed in his office in the grounds of his Fulford home at about 12.30am by his wife Sue.

Paramedics were called and worked to revive Mr Cainer for 40 minutes without success. He was pronounced dead at hospital.

As well as his wife, Sue, he leaves eight children. Mr Cainer was 58.

Early signs are that he died of a heart attack. As with any sudden death a post mortem is likely to be held.

Millions of followers

His horoscopes in the press and online were devoured by millions of people every day.

Mr Cainer wrote astrological predictions six days a week for the Daily Mail. He also wrote forecasts for major newspapers around the world, including the Sydney Daily Telegraph in Australia, the South African Times and the Toronto Star in Canada.

His predictions were also published in Turkey, Thailand and Malaysia. They are translated into Chinese, Japanese, Italian and German too. 

His daily, weekly and monthly forecasts have been read by numerous followers on his website. 

It has been estimated that more than 12 million people follow his predictions. He has been called the “world’s most trusted astrologer.”

Jonathan also worked extensively on TV and radio, making frequent contributions to programmes whenever astrology was in the news.  

Carrying on the family tradition his nephew, Oscar, has been studying astrology for several years.

Great talent

His brother Daniel said: “Jonathan had this great talent – not only his gift and wisdom but also the ability to make people feel he was speaking directly to them as individuals.

“I think that was the key, that people felt he spoke to them personally.

“Even the most cynical and hardened person could read their forecast and be amazed by its accuracy.

“One reader said he was spookily accurate and I think that was borne out by his own prediction for his star sign, Sagittarius, today.”

Born on December 18, 1957, Mr Cainer’s forecast for Sagittarians on the day he died now seems to have an uncanny prescience.

It began:

Jonathan Cainer: A life

Born in Surbiton, Surrey, in 1957 to David, a bank worker, and Ruth, a medical secretary, Mr Cainer had six brothers and sisters.

He left school at 15 with no qualifications and became a petrol pump attendant, then moved to the US in the 1980s to manage a nightclub and his brother’s musical career.

Jonathan wandered into the world of astrology almost by accident. 

A friend of a friend offered to read his birth chart and Jonathan was amazed by how accurately it summed him up. He then decided to experiment for himself with the complex ancient art. 

What began as a brief investigation became a dedicated, lifetime study.

“Pop astrology” was the last thing on his mind at this point. He was interested only in drawing up full horoscopes, based on people’s exact date, time and place of birth. 

Indeed, when first approached to write a sun-sign forecast column in 1984 he turned the offer down flat, opting instead to write academic books designed to help students learn the language of planetary symbolism. 

He also co-designed one of the first modern astrological computer programs.

In 1986, when Eddie Shah launched Britain’s first all-colour newspaper Today, Jonathan was again approached to write a daily sun-sign column. 

Assured that he would also have the chance to introduce his readers to the deeper side of his subject, this time he took the post. 

His column proved a great success. He left Today in January 1992 and joined the Daily Mail later that year. 

Tragedy struck in 1992 when his wife, Melanie, died during surgery following a car crash. He recalled seeing her in a vision at the moment she passed away.

He later married again, and has a total of eight children.

In January 2000, he took his column to the Daily Express. The following year, he was head-hunted by Piers Morgan, the then editor of the Daily Mirror, where his column appeared for three years before he was asked to re-join the Daily Mail.

He remained there since June 2004.

Outside of astrology, Jonathan was a family man, enjoying time with his children and grandchildren. Fascinated by ancient sites, he often visited stone circles and burial chambers.

Jonathan’s other interests included computers, vegetarian cookery and playing the double bass. 

York Haunted attraction

For some years Jonathan owned a shop on Stonegate, York, selling his horoscopes there.

In May 2004 he joined forces with his friend Uri Geller, the international mind- and spoon-bender, to relaunch it as the Museum Of Psychic Experience.

Visitors originally paid £15 for a tour through “mind-opening experiments, providing a personal encounter of psychic power and potential”.

One such experiment took place in the Water Room where people were transmitting negative thoughts to one glass of water, and positive ones to another. The water was then to be frozen and the ice crystals analysed in Japan for any differences.

TV psychic Derek Acorah filmed an episode of Ghost Towns Live at 35 Stonegate in January 2006. He was apparently strangled and tipped over the back of a chair by a lively spirit.

In February 2007 the Psychic Museum closed its doors after Mr Cainer revealed only 100 people a week were going through its doors.

It was later reborn as Haunted – “York’s most haunted house” where tourists could pay £7 for tours of the Mask Room, Lantern Room (haunted by a balding monk), Seance Room and more.

Haunted closed in 2014 and Jonathan sold the property to a developer. It has since reopened as the Oliver Bonas shop.