Richard Whiteley R.I.P

[Treacle]

Countdown presenter Richard Whiteley has died.
He was only 61. It's so sad.

Rest in peace Richard.

[Luna]

He was a lovely man have always watched him. Hard to believe he's gone now

[willow]

very sad, my thoughts go to his family. R.I.P Richard

[$sTaCeY$]

i never really watched countdown but still R.I.P Richard Whiteley

[stacyefc]

god that is sad how did he die?

[daisy38]

He never recovered from Heart Surgery!

My mum told me this morning! I'm shocked!

[Bryan]

the thought of a world without Richard Whitley is quite sad

countdown and tv in general have lost a legend

R.I.P Richard Whitley

bondboffin

[Katy]

its so sad he was young in comparasion to most people only 61.

R I P Richard.

[Jojo]

Such sad news to wake up to.

And so young too........Rest in Peace Richard, my heart goes out to your family and friends at his sudden passing.

[Keating's babe]

Whenever I could I would always watched Countdown. (work permitting). It's a shame and I was shocked when I brought the paper this morning and read the sad news. RIP Richard.

[Treacle]

I never watched Countdown but I know who he was and I saw him on This Morning not so long ago with a little boy who had been on Countdown.

[hazey]

I remember watching Richard, when he was the one to have the first programme on channel fours launch in the 80's. watch countdown all the time. R.I.P Richard you will be missed.

[soapaddict]

R.I.P Richard

He was brilliant and so funny

[Chris_2k11]

Rest In Peace Richard x

[Princess]

Rest in Peace Richard.

I'm really shocked. He seemed so bubbly and cheerful but I suppose the pnemonia and the heart surgery didn't help.

[Abi]

Rest in Peace

[Debs]

R.I.P richard

such sad sad news.

Countdown will not be the same without him. me and dave used to watch this every afternoon before he went to work. Dave was bets at the numbers i always used to try and beat him and i was best at the anagrams and conundrums.

dont think i could watch it in the future without him.

very sad news. and 61 is still so young.

[.:Kitz:.]

i've seen countdown a few times and he was great. Its so sad that he passed away at such a young age. Rest in peace Richard. You'll be missed. x

[angelblue]

Its very sad news he was still very young he will be greatly missed


I find it so sad that one minute your there the next minute you could be gone forever

[Debs]

John Richard Whiteley was born on December 8th, 1943 in Bradford. Son of a mill-owning family, he won a scholarship to the West Ridings public school, of Giggleswick at the age of 13, where he was taught by future TV personality Russell Harty. From there, he went on to study at Christ’s Collage, Cambridge, where he had his first experience in the media as editor of student paper ‘Varsity.’ He emerged with a third-class degree in English.

In 1968 Whiteley joined ITV Yorkshire’s news magazine programme Calendar. A versatile journalist, he went on to interview every British prime minister from Harold Macmillan onwards, and was said to be the first on the scene after the IRA bomb attack on the Conservative leadership in Brighton in 1984. He also reported on such matters as oddly-shaped vegetables.

Aside from his more serious journalism and media work, Richard was perhaps best known and loved for his light entertainment as the quizmaster of flagship Channel 4 show Countdown alongside Carol Vorderman. He hosted it from its very beginning in 1982 with the birth of the channel, telling bad jokes and puns and sporting awful jackets and even worse ties. Countdown was the first programme to be broadcast on the station, and was originally commissioned for just four weeks. Instead, it has now run for 23 years, gathering overtime a hardcore cult following, particularly amongst housewives and students, and has enjoyed a regular audience of four million. Until leaving Calendar in 1995 he often appeared on TV twice a night, leading to his being dubbed ‘Twice Nightly Whiteley,’ which he often humorously altered to ‘Once Yearly, Nearly.’

Whiteley never missed a single episode of Countdown until he was admitted to hospital last month suffering from pneumonia. He was transferred to Leeds general infirmary due to complications and underwent major heart surgery just two days ago. He was since thought to be on the road to recovery until his death at the age of 61 yesterday.

Although he had a busy professional life, for which he received an O.B.E. last year (the Queen is said to be a big fan of the show, as was the late Queen Mother), he also had a busy private life. He was an avid follower of horseracing, enjoyed walking and visiting country pubs.

As well as legions of adoring fans, Richard leaves behind his partner of 11 years, Kathryn Apanowicz, a radio and television presenter who shot to fame acting in EastEnders and Emmerdale.

( GOT THIS FROM D.S)

[pinkles14]

Rest in peace Richard

[SoapRach]

R.I.P

such sad news. he was such a unique character and i doubt he had a bad bone in his body. The world could do with a few more like him.