Mystic Meg: famous British astrologer Margaret Lake dies aged 80 after short illness

Famous astrologer Mystic Meg has died at the age of 80 after a short illness.

The astrologer, whose real name was Margaret Lake – shot to fame on the National Lottery and wrote a horoscope column for The Sun for nearly 23 years.

The newspaper reported on Thursday (9 March) that she had died earlier that morning after being admitted to the hospital suffering from the flu.

Her longtime agent Dave Shapland told The Sun: “Without any question, she was Britain’s most famous astrologer by a million miles.

“Nobody came close to Meg in that respect. She was followed by millions in this country and also around the world.

“She even became part of the English language – if a politician, somebody from showbiz or ordinary people in the street are asked a tricky question they will say ‘Who do you think I am, Mystic Meg?’ It shows what an impact she made.”

Mystic Meg was born on 27 July 1942 in Accrington, Lancashire, where her grandmother taught her astrology.

She went on to study English at the University of Leeds and later joined the now-defunct News of the World as a sub-editor, eventually becoming deputy editor of its weekend colour supplement Sunday.

She started her phone-line horoscope readings in 1989 and worked her way up to become the paper’s regular astrologer, soon becoming a household name.

From 1994 until 2000 she made regular appearances on the National Lottery, appearing on stage and with her crystal ball to predict who would win the weekly jackpot.

Her regular spot was dropped by the BBC in a programme shake-up in 1997, but she made a comeback the following year for a sketch alongside presenter Bradley Walsh. In the sketch, Walsh’s brother Del, who runs a market stall, tries to convince Meg of his own fortune-telling method – frying sausages.

In her practice, she worked with runes, crystal balls, I Ching, tarot and numerology, and according to astrological charts, her star sign was a Leo.

She also released several books over the years including Mystic Meg’s Astrolife and Mystic Meg’s Lucky Numbers For Love Life And The Lottery.

A previous Lotto roll-over winner credited Mystic Meg with prompting her to check her ticket after she had hidden it in a biscuit tin next to her bed.

After mother-of-four Mary Jones from Gwynedd, North Wales, won £9.3 million in 2004 she said: “I read Mystic Meg in The Sun and it said don’t forget to check your lottery ticket. I couldn’t believe it when I realised it had come true.”