Bill Turnbull, a broadcaster, has passed away at the age of 66, his representatives have confirmed.
Turnbull hosted BBC Breakfast for fifteen years in both London and Salford, as well as Songs of Praise and the game show Think Tank.
“Many will remember Bill as a remarkable broadcaster who brought warmth and humor into people’s homes,” his family said.
He announced in 2018 that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
After leaving the BBC in 2016, he joined Classic FM, where he presented shows until just recently.
Bill died quietly on Wednesday, 31 August, at his home in Suffolk, surrounded by his family, after a challenging and determined battle against prostate cancer, according to his family.
According to them, he was diagnosed in 2017 and had “excellent medical care” from the Royal Marsden and Ipswich Hospitals, St. Elizabeth Hospice, and his primary care physician.
“He was extremely heartened by the support he received from friends, coworkers, and those who wished him well. Bill was greatly comforted by the fact that so many more men are now testing for this condition sooner “they claimed,
“Bill was a fantastic husband and father to his three children; his family and friends will miss how he always made them laugh, as well as the kindness and love he offered to others,” they wrote, adding that he was a loyal Wycombe Wanderers supporter and an “aspiring beekeeper.”
Turnbull was a fan favorite on BBC Breakfast due to his affable presenting style, which fit early morning television perfectly.
He co-hosted BBC Breakfast with Sian Williams, Susanna Reid, Kate Silverton, Natasha Kaplinsky, and Louisa Minchin.
Just after the news was released, his old colleagues Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt, who were hosting Thursday’s episode, paid an emotional tribute.
Munchetty remarked: “This morning, we are in shock as a squad. He was quite concerned about this program and its audience. I worked my first shift with him on the Breakfast shift.”
“His vitality was incredible. He entered this program throwing everything at it. He was humorous and an outstanding journalist. He cherished this program and serving you, the audience “She stated,
On Friday, there will be a special program dedicated to his memory.
Turnbull, according to Stayt, “did not take himself too seriously.”
On his final BBC Breakfast show, Turnbull discussed some of the moments he most fondly recalled.
He recalled, “I recall almost getting into a fight with a ventriloquist’s dummy named Bob.”
“We almost came to blows, but it was more my fault than his.”
He added: “In addition, there was a time when I wore a dog-hair jumper with a bow on the front. It was acceptable but really warm, and I could not remove the material from my body for weeks.”
He was a skilled journalist and a stickler for accuracy, according to Minchin, who added, “most importantly, he was a lot of fun.”
Williams said, “Farewell, Billy,” calling him “the nicest, most generous of presenters” and “a fantastic friend for thirty years.”
Reid of ITV’s Good Morning Britain added: “I consider myself fortunate to have worked with him; he taught me everything. He was loyal to his family above everything else, and I am heartbroken for them.”
Another former Breakfast colleague, Channel 4 hostess Steph McGovern, said she was expecting a baby “utterly devastated”, and added, “I learned so much from him. And we had some lively debates about how to pronounce words like “poor.” Everyone adored him.”
Dan Walker, a newscaster for Channel 5, stated that it had been an “honor” to replace Turnbull on the Breakfast sofa, and described him as polite and generous.
“It was evident how much his colleagues and the audience adored him since he was full of good advice,” he remarked.
Breakfast presenter Jon Kay spoke to Turnbull as “the epitome of a gentleman” and stated that he was “thinking of his lovely family”
Tim Davie, director-general of the BBC, referred to Turnbull as “a much-loved and regarded broadcaster and journalist, not only by viewers but also by all those fortunate enough to have worked with him.”
“He always used the appropriate tone, regardless of the story. We will all miss his warmth, sageness, professionalism, and compassion “he stated.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries characterized the passing of a legendary broadcaster as “very tragic,” praising his “unique charisma and wit” and relentless efforts to raise awareness about prostate cancer.
“Extremely keen intelligence”
Nick Robinson, the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Today show, praised Turnbull as “a very, very dear friend and an exceptional broadcaster.”
“People who regularly watch breakfast television were aware of the warmth in his broadcasts,” he explained. “However, they may have forgotten what an excellent journalist he was. This man was a former Washington journalist who visited thirty countries. He has gone to Moscow, covered wars, and reported on Northern Ireland’s turmoil.”
He added: “This combination of a razor-sharp intelligence, wit, humor, and humanity was on display daily throughout his Breakfast show. When he was a reporter for this program, it aired daily. And fans to Classic FM would have heard him articulate his passion for music eloquently.”
Robinson recalled that Turnbull and his wife [Sarah] met on the Today show, where they both worked.
Monty Don, a journalist, and broadcaster, termed Turnbull “a nice and good man”, adding, “We had a passion for bees and were both patrons of the organization Bees for Development.” My warmest wishes and love to his family.”
Before joining Breakfast, Turnbull served as a correspondent for BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC News 24 (as it was once named).
He was a contestant on an early season of Strictly Come Dancing, where he and his partner, Karen Hardy, finished in sixth place.
In recent years, Turnbull has guest-hosted episodes of The One Show and rejoined with Reid for several Good Morning Britain broadcasts on ITV.
After his cancer diagnosis was made public, he hosted a Channel 4 series titled Bill Turnbull: Staying Alive, in which he investigated the medicinal usage of cannabis oil.
Prostate Cancer UK reported that after Turnbull’s March 2018 announcement that he had the disease, their specialized nurses saw their “busiest day on record” and they noticed a significant increase in site traffic from men seeking information and assistance.
In November 2017, Turnbull participated in a celebrity edition of The Great British Bake Off, which benefited the Stand Up to Cancer charity. He discovered he had prostate cancer while filming.
Inspiring men to get tested for the disease by announcing his diagnosis publicly was the “one good thing” he had done in his life, he said, confessing he was “angry with himself” for the pride he had had in not attending a general practitioner in four years.
