British TV director plunges 50ft to death from Vietnam hostel balcony

A British television director has died after plunging 50ft from the balcony of a backpackers' hostel in Vietnam.

Matthew Avis, 33, was celebrating the completion of a 1,400-mile three-moth motorbike tour across Vietnam when he fell to his death in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday.

According to saigoneer.com, police said Mr Avis was drinking beer at a hostel in Alley 283 on Pham Ngu Lao Street when he accidentally fell and died on impact.

He had worked as a director on Big Brother, before going freelance as a sports cameraman on different assignments around the world.

Matthew's father, Colin Avis, has paid tribute to his son. According to the Evening Standard, he said: "He was such a nice guy who meant so much to so many people. He was on the trip of a lifetime and having an amazing time."

"He loved travel. He loved the excitement and meeting more people. I'm still numb at the moment."

A host of friends also paid tribute to Mr Avis, nicknamed Mavis, with a former Big Brother colleague writing: "Stunned, can't believe it. A class guy, a quality director and a big loss to the Big Bro family."

Mavis had met his girlfriend Erin in Toronto earlier this year while working on the Canadian version of the show.

His dad added: "We thought he might be getting ready to settle down with her. The last piece of post he got here was a Tiffany's catalogue."

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