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bill turnbull dies© Photo: Rex

BBC Breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull dies aged 66

The presenter passed away peacefully at his home

Francesca Shillcock
Senior Features Writer
September 1, 2022
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BBC Breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull has died aged 66, his representatives have confirmed. The broadcaster hosted the morning current affairs show for 15 years alongside familiar faces like Susanna Reid and Sian Williams. 

MORE: Charlotte Hawkins replaces Bill Turnbull on Classic FM slot amid Bill's cancer battle

A statement read: "Following a challenging and committed fight against prostate cancer, Bill passed away peacefully at his home in Suffolk surrounded by his family on 31 August.

bill turnbull itv© Photo: Rex

Bill died peacefully at his home

"Bill was diagnosed in 2017 and has had outstanding medical care from the Royal Marsden and Ipswich hospitals, St Elizabeth hospice and his GP. He was resolutely positive and was hugely buoyed by the support he received from friends, colleagues, and messages from people wishing him luck. It was a great comfort to Bill that so many more men are now testing earlier for this disease."

Bill was a familiar face on TV also thanks to his roles on other popular programmes like Songs of Praise and the game show Think Tank.

MORE: In Memoriam: the famous faces we lost in 2022

The TV presenter then went on to front a documentary about the disease titled, Bill Turnball: Staying Alive, for Channel 4, during which he explored the usage of cannabis oil for medicinal purposes. 

bill on gmb© Photo: Rex

In October 2021, Bill announced he was taking a step back from his radio show on Classic FM for "health reasons". 

Taking to Twitter to share the news, he said: "1) With great regret I am taking a leave of absence from my show @classicfm, for health reasons. The road has been a bit bumpy recently, and I need to take some time to focus on getting better.

"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 @global for the love and support they have shown me. And I will be back, just as soon as I can be."

He had made a number of other appearances on well-known programmes on the BBC and other channels including Strictly Come Dancing, The One Show and ITV's Good Morning Britain.

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