Classic FM honours Bill Turnbull with ‘incredibly moving’ show featuring his favourite songs following death aged 66-Emily Bashforth-Entertainment – Metro

Bill Turnbull joined Classic FM in 2016 (Picture: PA)

Classic FM has paid tribute to former presenter Bill Turnbull following his death, aged 66.

The beloved BBC Breakfast host died peacefully surrounded by his loved ones on Wednesday following a battle with prostate cancer.

Turnbull was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2017 and was very open about his journey.

He enjoyed a successful 44-year career in journalism and broadcasting and joined Classic FM in 2016, going on to host shows on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 10am to 1pm.

Turnbull also presented Pet Classics, the world’s first radio show for pets, featuring soothing music and practical advice for pet owners.

Listeners praised the station on Saturday morning for their ‘lovely’ tribute to him, which was hosted by colleague Aled Jones.

The broadcaster will be sorely missed by colleagues and loved ones (Picture: Mike Lawn/Shutterstock)

Broadcast at 10am on Saturday, Remembering Bill Turnbull was a specially dedicated show which featured some of the presenter’s favourite songs, including The Humming Chorus by Puccini, Mozart’s Così fan Tutte, and The Armed Man by Sir Karl Jenkin.

Also played were theme songs from his favourite TV shows and movies, such as Inspector Morse, Band of Brothers, and Thunderbirds.

Turnbull – who announced in in October 2021 that he would be taking a leave of absence from his weekend show – was hailed a ‘dear friend and colleague’ by Jones as he introduced the show.

He described the former Good Morning Britain host as a ‘brilliant friend’, adding that it was ‘impossible’ to squeeze tributes into just three hours.

Jones paused the music for a moment for ‘a few moments of quiet reflection’.

The show aired personal tributes from close friends of Turnbulls, including Sian Williams who met Turnbull 30 years ago when she was a ‘rookie radio producer’.

She shared that he was the same ‘lovely’ man on and off air, concluding: ‘What I’ll remember him most for is that twinkle in his eye and that warmth in his smile, he is a loyal friend and I think we are all going to miss him.’

Turnbull is survived by his wife and three children (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Listeners couldn’t help but get emotional listening to the show, taking to Twitter to thank the station for honouring him in such a fitting way.

‘What a truly special and poignant morning this is. Thank you to Bill for all his special and poignant moments he shared with us all. I wonder what his all time favourite piece was. Thank you Aled this show is heartwarming’, one person wrote.

A second praised Jones for doing a ‘magnificent job’, describing the show as ‘incredibly moving’.

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Turnbull’s career began at Scotland’s Radio Clyde in 1978 before he joined the BBC as a reporter for the Today programme in 1986. He became a reporter for BBC’s Breakfast Time two years later.

He leaves behind heartbroken wife Sarah, whom he married in 1988, as well as two sons and a daughter.

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