When you go on vacation, it’s supposed to be a relaxing, blissful time—and that’s exactly what British singer Kirsty MacColl was looking for on her holiday in December 2000.
After an appearance on a BBC radio show in Cuba, Kirsty, her sons, and her boyfriend, a musician named James Knight, popped over to Cozumel, Mexico, a place renowned for its crystal-clear waters that are magnificent for snorkeling, scuba diving, and all sorts of watersports.
On December 18—while much of the world was listening to her duet with Shane MacGowan on the Pogues Christmas classic, “A Fairytale of New York”—she and her sons, Louis and Jamie, went to the southwest corner of the island to the famous Chankanaab Reef, which is part of a protected national park.
It’s a fantastic spot where divers and swimmers are supposed to be protected from any motorized watercraft. Supposed to be.
Before the day was over, Kirsty would be dead, her body nearly cut in half—and the cover-up of how she died and who did it had already begun.
I’m AC. This is Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry. And this is the story of how powerful and rich people in Mexico have prevented the real story of Kirsty MacColl’s death.
In addition to the podcasts, you can hear Uncharted on these Corus radio stations (all times local):
- Toronto: AM 640 (4-5am)
- London: 980 CFPL (4-5am)
- Vancouver: 730 CKNW (1-2am)
- Edmonton: 630 CHED (1-2am)
- Calgary: QR77 (770 AM) (1-2am)
- Winnipeg: 680 CJOB (1-2am)
© 2026 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Ad Choices