A grandad who was allegedly killed hours after a stag party on the MSC Virtuosa cruise ship left the UK for Belgium has been pictured. James Messham, 60, died following an "altercation" on board the luxury vessel at around 8.30pm on Saturday. The MSC Virtuosa was still in British waters having only departed Southampton enroute to Bruges at 6pm.

A 57-year-old man from Exeter was arrested by police on suspicion of murder, but Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary released the man on bail on Tuesday afternoon. The MSC Virtuosa returned to the British port on Monday.

The Sun reportsMr Messham ran a popular motorbike stunt show called the Wall of Death, and that he was understood to have been travelling with relatives on the cruise ship. Joby Carter, from the travelling vintage attraction Carter's Steam Fair, said he knew "proper gent" Mr Messham from work he had done previously with his stunt show.

He told the Sun: “I was absolutely gutted when I heard the news. He was a legend. We used to travel Carter’s Steam Fair. He approached us because he had a wall of death and wanted to travel with us.

“We always got along with him. He was a proper gent, salt of the earth. You knew if you had a problem he would come and help you any time day or night."

Det Chief Insp Matt Gillooly, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s senior investigating officer, said the case appeared to be "an isolated incident".

He said: "We want to reassure you that this appears to be an isolated incident onboard and we want to thank the crew for their cooperation and assistance with our enquiries.”

A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary spokesman said that a 57-year-old man from Exeter, Devon, who was arrested on suspicion of murder, has now been released while the investigation continues.

He said: "Officers are continuing their inquiries into the death of a 60-year-old man from West Sussex on board the MSC Virtuosa, which happened around 8.30pm on Saturday (May 3).

"A 57-year-old man arrested as part of our inquiries has been released on bail.

"We remain keen to hear from anyone who was aboard the ship, which had departed Southampton around 6pm on Saturday and was still in British waters at the time."

Mr Messham’s death is the second tragedy onboard MSC Virtuosa since Colombian national Jessica Andrea Gómez Granda, 28, died after falling overboard near the Channel Islands in October last year.

The MSC Virtuosa used for the filming of the Channel 5 crime drama The Good Ship Murder starring Shayne Ward and Catherine Tyldesley.

A spokesperson for MSC Virtuosa told The Sun: “Following an incident on board our ship, the relevant authorities were contacted, and we are co-operating fully with their investigations. We are providing full support to those impacted.”

Express.co.uk have contacted Hampshire and Isle of White Constabulary and MSC for any additional comment.