Veteran news broadcaster Bill Turnbull has died from cancer aged 66, his representatives have confirmed.
The BBC Breakfast host was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017, and has since been public with updates on his terminal diagnosis.
Bill is survived by his wife Sarah, whom he married in 1988, and three children.
Bill Turnbull: A BBC news legend
Turnbull has been working as a journalist since 1978 – starting his career at Radio Clyde in Scotland.
He joined the BBC in 1986, working as a correspondent for the Today programm, before moving on to Breakfast Time and eventually BBC News.
The newscaster spent a period of time based in the States as an international correspondent for the team. During his stay, he was on the ground for major news stories including the OJ Simpson trial and the Lewinsky-Clinton sex scandal.
In 2001, Turnbull joined the BBC Breakfast team, and remained in the position for 15 years.
As well as his work on the show, he took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2005, placing sixth alongside pro Karen Hardy.
In 2013, he joined the presenting team for Songs of Praise.
Bill’s public cancer fight
The presenter made no secret of his fight with cancer. He announced his diagnosis in 2018, a year after he was told.
Since then, he confirmed he requested to stop chemotherapy as it had become ‘unbearable’.
Instead, he has been using alternative medicine and treatments including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, steroid treatment, and CBD.
“Exercise is hugely important and yoga is very good for your mental health. I take probably too many different supplements — turmeric, berberine, a spoonful of black seed oil, which is like tar soaked in liquid, a sea fish oil and a teaspoon of my own honey,” he told The Sun in May 2021.
He added that he also takes CBD tablets and ‘two cloves of raw garlic’, which he joked ‘didn’t make him any friends’.
In 2019, he fronted a documentary on his treatment process in Channel 4’s Bill Turnbull: Staying Alive.
He also continued working on his radio programmes, and for a short period replaced Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain, reuniting with his BBC Breakfast co-star, Susanna Reid.
However, in October 2021, Turnbull announced that he would be taking a leave of absence from his Classic FM show.
“The road has been a bit bumpy recently, and I need to take some time to focus on getting better,” he wrote.
“I’m sorry to do this, as I absolutely love doing the programme, and have hugely enjoyed the past five years.
“I am very grateful to friends and colleagues at [Global Media] for the love and support they have shown me. And I will be back, just as soon as I can be.”
Tributes pour in
Since his death was announced earlier this morning (September 1), tributes have poured in.
One fan said: “Bill Turnbull, rest in peace.”
Another said: “Shocked to see about Bill Turnbull dying. Everyone’s going now, it’s so sad.”
A third added: “Very sad to hear that Bill Turnbull has died. He was a brilliant BBC presenter and was truly passionate about bees. He will be much missed by all that knew him.”
“RIP Bill Turnbull. A shining light in the world,” another concluded sadly.
Read more: Bill Turnbull steps back from radio show for health reasons
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