British radio host Tim Gough died suddenly while broadcasting his morning show on Monday.
The radio host had just come out of retirement to begin broadcasting again.
Gough, 55, was live on Radio GenX around 7:50 a.m. local time, when he passed away from a suspected heart attack.
The radio legend was working from his home in Lackford, Suffolk, at the time.
As he passed away, music stopped playing on the station for several minutes, until someone else took over.
United Kingdom – A Suffolk radio DJ Tim Gough, 55, died of a suspected heart attack while broadcasting his morning show on Monday. Tim was vaccinated, telling people on social media to get their booster shot asap. Truly sad. pic.twitter.com/xu2UCwxXPa
— Lisa Marie (@Lisamarie1577) October 25, 2022
Gough had posted to social media that he was vaccinated and boosted — and urged others to do the same.
The station announced his death in a statement, saying “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 while presenting his programme.”
“Our love to his family, son, sister, brother and mum. Tim was doing what he loved. He was 55 years old,” the statement continued.
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 program.
Our love to his family, son, sister, brother and mum.
Tim was doing what he loved. He was 55 years old.
RIB buddy. x— GenX Radio Suffolk (@genxradiouk) October 24, 2022
James Hazell, managing director of GenX Radio, said in a statement obtained by the BBC that “to know Tim personally, as I did very closely for over 30 years, was to know a warm, caring, fun guy who myself and my family loved dearly. We are heartbroken by the news.”
Hazell continued, “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.”
“I know his family are enormously comforted by the hundreds of loving messages that have been received and have asked for privacy at this devastating time.”
Hazell also explained that Gough had just come out of retirement to present the breakfast show and was back on the air for the first time in a decade.
Gaynor Marshall, an executive producer at BBC radio, said of Gough, “when I was at Smooth Radio Nottingham he took me under his wing, super caring and all round lovely man. What an awful shock.”
Gough began his career at Ipswich’s Radio Orwell in 1986 and later worked as a presenter and program controller at radio stations including Trent FM, Leicester Sound, Saga Radio and Smooth Radio.
