Former BBC Breakfast host Bill Turnbull dies at age of 66. Read details

After losing the battle with prostate cancer, the family of Bill Turnbull said he died peacefully in his Suffolk home. He was surrounded by family members and breathed his last on August 31.

It was informed that Bill was found to be suffering from prostate cancer through diagnosis in 2017. He received the healthcare from Royal Marsden and Ipswich hospitals, St Elizabeth Hospice, and his general practitioner. It was informed that he was greatly fond of receiving messages of encouragement from his friends and colleagues and people wishing him good luck. Turnbull felt happy that plenty of people are being diagnosed with this dreaded disease early on in life making it easier for their treatment and care.

Turnbull became popular as a presenter for the BBC show “Breakfast” for 15 years till he discontinued in 2016. The show also moved to Salford after that. Apart from this Turnbull also presented the “Songs of Praise” and led the BBC One quiz show “Think Tank”. Later in 2016, he started his own show on Classic FM and began presenting on the radio, which was broadcasted on Saturdays and Sundays till recently. He was also a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing and came 6th with his partner Karen Hardy in the 2005 series.





It was during the show Great British Bake Off that he declared he was suffering from prostate cancer and that the disease had now spread to his bones. He also worked in a show on Channel 4 called Bill Turnbull: Staying Alive and advised people on the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Bill also was nominated as the ambassador for Prostate Cancer UK. More men began attending cancer screenings as a result and this was acknowledged by NHS Chief Executive Simon Stephens. Stephen Fry had undergone surgery for the same and the screenings were called the “Fry and Turnbull effect”.

His colleague and friend Susanna Reid, who presented shows One Show and Good Morning Britain, shared their condlences to his family on Twitter. Susanna was also his partner on BBC Breakfast. So did veteran broadcaster Alastair Stewart, who said that Bill was a good competitor and very courteous and said his thoughts were with his family at this difficult time.

Apart from presenting shows, Bill also loved his bees and took care of them. He once got stung by one on his head and had to take the day off from BBC Breakfast because of having “Shrek-like symptoms”. He also wrote a memoir called The Bad Beekeepers Club.