Colleagues of a local radio presenter who died whilst live on air have been left "devastated" following his sudden death.
Tim Gough, 55, died from a suspected heart attack at 7.50am on Monday while presenting the GenX Radio Suffolk breakfast show.
He was broadcasting from his home in Lackford in the west of the county. The station said in a statement: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to inform you, our dear friend and breakfast host Tim Gough passed away this morning whilst presenting his programme.
“Our love to his family, son, sister, brother and mum. Tim was doing what he loved. He was 55 years old.”
James Hazell, owner of the station, later added: “You may have heard me say today, in an emotional state, that I was not sure about the future of GenX in light of the devastating news of Tim’s death. Well I am now… because of the hundreds of loving messages.
“Tim was part of building GenX Radio and I will not allow his hard work to amount to nothing. We are going to create the best radio station we possibly can, that Suffolk is proud of. It will be Tim’s legacy.”
Virgin Radio UK presenter Amy Voce said: “Absolutely gutted to hear this news about Tim. He was my first ever boss in radio at Leicester Sound when I was 18 and was SO wonderful. I have the happiest of memories and we always kept in touch and if it wasn’t for him I might not be in radio.”
Gaynor Marshall, an executive producer for BBC radio, described the news as an “awful shock,” adding: “Such sad news. When I was at Smooth Radio Nottingham he took me under his wing, super caring and all-round lovely man.”
Mr Gough grew up in a village close to Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, and began his broadcasting career at Radio Orwell in 1986. He went on to present the breakfast show on Saxon Radio and SGR-FM, as well as appearing on Smooth Radio and various other radio stations in the East Midlands.
READ NEXT:
- Violent thug kicked, punched and strangled girlfriend saying he was sick of her "nagging" and she should wash his clothes and cook his tea
- Main road and M60 slip shut due to 'police incident'
- Mum slashed with 'zombie' knife by stranger on first night out after giving birth
- Manchester Airport bosses vow to put summer of chaos 'behind us
- Paramedics forced to pay '£6k-a-month for food and drinks van' as they queue hours outside hospitals unable to leave patients, staff say
