Source: BBC News
Monday, 27 June, 2005



Tributes have been flooding in for television presenter and journalist Richard Whiteley, who has died days after undergoing heart surgery.
Whiteley, 61, the host of Channel 4's daytime game show Countdown for 23 years, died in Leeds General Infirmary.

Whiteley, from Ilkley, West Yorkshire, fell ill with pneumonia last month, but had been said to be recovering slowly.

The agent for Whiteley's Countdown co-host, Carol Vorderman, said she was "absolutely devastated" by his death.

John Miles said the pair were friends as well as colleagues who were very special to each other.

"He was such a good friend whom she loved dearly - they had 23 years of making programmes together, that's about 4,000 programmes," Mr Miles said.

Channel 4 has yet to decide whether to continue broadcasting pre-recorded episodes of Countdown with Whiteley as host.

A spokeswoman for the channel said they were "shocked and stunned" to hear of the death.

He leaves behind a partner of 11 years, actress Kathryn Apanowicz, who featured in Eastenders during the 1980s and Emmerdale Farm in the 1990s.

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