TV presenter Richard Whiteley has died in hospital from a heart operation.

The star of Countdown, aged 61, underwent the surgery to combat an infection that attacked a valve in his heart.

He was taken into hospital in Leeds last month suffering from pneumonia.

Whiteley had been the host of Countdown since it began more than 20 years ago.

He was the first face on Channel 4 when the station launched in 1982.

When he was taken ill last month, he missed the first show in more than two decades.


Taken fron Skynews.com


I thought this was really sad! I know that my gran's going to be soooo upset because she absolutely loves him and Countdown. As do many members of my family, so I've grown up seeing it pretty much everyday. Hope he's gone to a better place.

God bless you Richard... he was God of the gaffes!!!

I'm so shocked! Thats really sad.

I can't believe it; he was so young!

I love Countdown & will really miss his cheerfulness, ties & puns!

God bless his soul. x

awww, he'll be sorely missed. my mum was just saying about how he'd been taken off the critical list in hospital too.

RIP Mr Whitely x

yes cant believe it too.....so young , a lot of people will be really saddened by this news.

R.I.P xxxx

God, I'm so shocked!

61 is no age.

R.I.P

x bodge x

that is awful! I hadn't heard anything about him being ill - so it is rather a shock We have lost a legend of daytime tv! They surely can't go on without him Countdown just isn't Countdown without the LOUD ties/outfits and bad jokes!! (I know, I once tried to watch the French version and they just take it all seriously, it's just not the same! AND they have a computer to do most of Carol Vorderman's job )
Maybe I'll watch his 'cameo' in About A Boy tonight, in commemoration!

Ok now that my stupid computer isn't posting messages that I'm not finished with, I will now talk more about Richard.

I'm finding this news really quite sad. I don't know why this is the case really... maybe it is down to shock of it all as we were all led to believe that he was making slow but steady progress. Maybe it isn't that... maybe it could be his relatively young age or, perhaps, it is just down to the fact that by inviting him into our living rooms over the past 23 years, Richard Whiteley has come to mean something to many, many people throughout the land. I, like many others throughout the UK, dipped into Countdown whenever I got the chance. 3.15pm (or 4.30pm as it was in the old days) was time to sit down with Richard and Carol and get caught up in a land filled with consonants, vowels and numbers but it was a show that managed to take on far more than that. Richard, along with his TV wife Carol, gave Countdown a personality and it was a warm, jocular and instantly inviting one. Much of that came directly from Richard. He said in one of channel 4's ads where they ask various C4 personalities various questions (I like those... quite clever really) that he'd like to be known as being the first face seen on the channel. Well you'll get your wish, Richard, but something tells me that you'll be remembered for more than just that. Indeed, RW was something of a British broadcasting legend with cross generational appeal, as he became known as being a student icon. Lectures or tea with Richard and Carol? Well there was never really any choice there.

There aren't many people you'd invite into your home every day for 23 years... Richard Whiteley was one of those people though. Some 4 million people did so every day but, sadly, they won't get to do so again in the future. There are 5 shows of the current Richard-fronted series to go. Should Channel 4 and Richard's fmaily decide to show them then enjoy them then I'd ask you to cherish the bad jokes, the bad puns, the awful ties and jackets and celebrate his warmth, intelligence and wit.

Oh and if you need a laugh then just think back to the classic 'Gotcha' from Noel's House Party. They had wanted to get good ol' 'twice nightly' for ages and and they really got him good. They set up a whole game of Countdown and it had really hilarious consequences. Richard could laugh at himself as much as anyone... so don't feel guilty laughing at him again today.

A seemingly utterly charming man...

I knew he was in hospital but i didn't think it was that serious!!

it's such a shame

he made countdown... i'm not sure it'll be right with celebrity hosts

amy
xxx

I didn't think it was that serious either poor bloke! I think I'll watch About A Boy too

RIP Whitely pet

Clarabee:

Hope he's gone to a better place.

Anywhere's better than the countdown studio.

If anyone watched Countdown this afternoon they would have noted Carol Vorderman's tearful intro at which she metnioned how everyone was so shocked and saddened by his death and that everyone was thankful for the resposnes and letters of condolences being sent to Richards family and asked people to keep them coming.

She also said that Richard would have wanted the shows already filmed to be aired and she asked the viewers to enjoy themselves and to lpease laugh at his jokes at which point she started crying pretty badly. Then they cut to countdown. In his intro, Richard mentioned how he'd received a letter from a viewer who said they knew someone who could calculate their exact time of death. When asked to explain how, they replied that the judge had told them. That joke was a tad uncomfortable to watch.

I don't know what'll happen after they've finished airing the shows that have already been filmed. I do agree that I don't think it'll be right with guest hosts as Richard made that programme his own. I suggest we all don our bright and vibrant jackets and our equally vibrant and eccentric ties and pay respect to the king of countdown.

I thought that both Carol's opening to the show today and her tribute broadcast yesterday were both extremely touching. I'd also have to say that it was so odd how he had started the show with 'welcome to the final week of countdown', before pausing for effect and adding a 'of this series'. Said in jest at the time but how prophetic his initial words may prove to be. Channel 4 have suspended filming with special guests indefinately and I think this is wise. It may eventually return but we'll see. "The clock has stopped to soon", said Carol... how apt.



Oh I agree. All that's missing is a rendition of THAT song I've had going round in my head over the last few days...

Doo doo-do, doo-do!
Doo doo-do, doo-do! Doo doo-do, doo-do!
Doo doodle-oodle-oo!
Doo doo-do, doo-do!
Doo doo-do, doo-do!
Diddle, doodle, diddly-doo!
Pow!

('lyrics' stolen from a Guardian article found here)

Channel 4's Friday afternoon programming has become a tribute to Mr Countdown. A documentary on his life will air before the 53rd series' final is broadcast. Following this episode - the final show recorded by Richard - a tribute will be broadcast featuring reflections by those who worked with him throughout his career.

Coldplay did a tribute to Richard last night at their crystal palace gig... before they started their set with "Square One", they played the "Countdown" theme... along with the "do-do, do-do, doodley-do, boooo!" bit...