Simon Dee's rise and fall in pictures

Dee was born in 1935 as Cyril Nicholas Henty-Dodd, later changing his name when he found fame as a DJ and host of a twice-weekly BBC chatshow Photograph: PA

After national service in the RAF and spells as a buider's labourer, actor, leaf-sweeper and vacuum cleaner salesman, Dee was offered a job by a friend on pirate radio ship Radio Caroline in 1964. He was the first voice on the station, welcoming listeners with the words 'Your all-day music station'. His His theme tune was On the Sunny Side of the Street, and he played a mix of Motown and current hits Photograph: PA

Dee (second from left) presenting the Radio Caroline first birthday 'bell' award for 'best and most consistent artistes' to the Beatles at the Twickenham Film Studios in 1965. After a disagreement with Radio Caroline's owner, he left the station and turned freelance Photograph: Associated Newspapers / Rex Features/Associated Newspapers / Rex Features

After leaving Radio Caroline, Dee was rapidly signed up by the BBC. He became part of the team of presenters on the daily Light Programme pop show Midday Spin from July 1965; he also hosted shows such as Simon's Scene on Radio Luxembourg Photograph: Daily Mail/Rex Features

After BBC Radio 1 opened in 1967, Dee hosted the Monday edition of Midday Spin. Here he strikes a pose imitated by TV characters such as Alan Partridge and Louis Balfour of the Fast Show's Jazz Club Photograph: The Graham Stark Photographic Li/Getty Images

Dee's informal style won him fans - not least Mabel Cotton, mother of Bill Cotton, the deputy head of BBC TV's light entertainment department. In October 1966, he was invited to try out as a presenter of Top of the Pops. His profile also increased when he starred in ads for Smith's Crisps on ITV Photograph: Bruce Fleming/Rex Features

The BBC was searching for a new chatshow host, and Cotton gave Dee a three-year contract to present a show, Dee Time. The half-hour Saturday show's opening titles featured Dee arriving at at BBC Television Centre in an E-type Jaguar with a blonde companion, while he became known for the catchphrase 'It's Si-i-i-i-mon Dee!' Photograph: Bruce Fleming/Rex Features

Dee Time ran from 1967 to 1969 and attracted up to 18 million viewers. It attracted guests including Davis Jr, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Rod Taylor, Richard Harris and John Lennon. Here the rock band Traffic are pictured in the background Photograph: Alan Messer/Rex Features

Dee became a familar face on the London social scene, and he was often seen in an Aston Martin DB5 that he bought in cash from the actor Robert Shaw Photograph: David Magnus/Rex Features

Dee took cameo roles in films including The Italian Job (released in 1969). Of that first cameo, he recalled: 'Mike [Michael Caine] had been on the show and thought he'd do me a favour. I played a poofy Savile Row tailor and I was so good that poofs started chasing me.' Here he is pictured with Leslie Phillips in comedy Doctor in Trouble (1970) Photograph: ITV/Rex Features

Dee's fame grew to the extent that he was reportedly asked to audition for the role of James Bond in 1969. The BBC increasingly took the view that the star was becoming too full of himself, and in early 1969 Dee Time was moved from Saturdays to Monday nights. However, failed to heed the warning, and when in October 1969 he asked for his pay to be increased from £250 to £1,000 a show, Bill Cotton refused his demands Photograph: ITV/Rex Features

Dee took his massive ego to ITV company LWT, which offered him a salary of £100,000 to host The Simon Dee Show, although it already employed the heavyweight interviewer David Frost Photograph: ITV / Rex Features/ITV / Rex Features

Despite drawing guests such as Peter Cook, The Simon Dee Show's scheduling in a late-night slot on Sundays ensured that it was a ratings disaster Photograph: Alan Messer/Rex Features

Barbara Cartland on The Simon Dee Show Photograph: ITV/Rex Features

Dee with Sacha Distel on The Simon Dee Show Photograph: ITV/Rex Features

The elaborate studio set of The Simon Dee Show Photograph: ITV/Rex Features

Dee accused LWT management of trying to undermine the show, and accused David Frost of trying to undermine him Photograph: ITV/Rex Features

After a bizarre interview with actor George Lazenby, who had been smoking cannabis and who outlined at length his theories about the assassination of Robert F Kennedy, the show was dropped Photograph: ITV/Rex Features

Dee's profile plummeted after he left LWT, although he made the headlines when he signed on for unemployment benefit at the Fulham labour exchange. He took a job as a bus driver and was jailed in 1974 for non-payment of rates on his former Chelsea home. In the late 1980s, he hosted Sounds of the 60s on BBC Radio 2. In 2003, he hosted a one-off new live edition of Dee Time on Channel 4, following Dee Construction, which covered his career. He died of bone cancer on 29 August 2009 Photograph: PA