Gordon Honeycombe dead: Former broadcaster dies aged 79

He was said to have been ill for some time

Gordon Honeycombe with newsreader Anna Ford in 2005 (Rex)

Gordon Honeycombe, the newsreader best known for his work on ITV and TV-am, has died. He was 79.

The former broadcaster is said to have been ill for some time.

Ian White, a BBC reporter and the owner of TV-am, announced Honeycombe’s death on the website of the latter.

“Gordon had recently celebrated his birthday but had been ill for some time. As his health declined he spent a few weeks in a specialist care home, but was alert and doing crosswords up to the very end,” the statement read.

"Gordon will be remembered for his authority, intelligence and wonderful sense of humour and great kindness."

Mr White said that the journalist had contacted him a couple of days ago, and he had been receiving updates from him over the past few weeks.

Describing Honeycombe as hard-working and “much loved” by his colleagues, Mr White said he would be remembered for his deep, distinctive voice, and the way he said “Hello, good morning”.

Honeycombe joined TV-am as the main news presenter in January 1984, leaving around five years later in 1989.

Following the news of his death, tributes have poured in from Honeycombe’s colleagues and fellow journalists.

John Hardie, ITN chief executive, said: "Tonight ITN mourns the passing of one of the UK's most distinguished and revered broadcasters. Gordon Honeycombe, RIP."

Anne Diamond, who worked with him between 1984 and 1989, said: "I am so sad yet I know he had a great life.

"If you can die having had a brilliant, bright and inspirational life then it can't be a negative thing. I've often envied Gordon's approach to life.

"His interests, his whims, his chutzpah, his intellect, his joie de vivre. I'm sad he's gone but I know he had a great life and I'm glad to have known him".

ITV News editor Geoff Hill, the chanel's news reporter Mary Nightingale, and Sky News's Kay Burley mourned Honeycombe's death on Twitter.

ITN News presenter Alastair Stewart, who made his final broadcast for the show on Friday, paid tributre to Honeycombe and as well as Antiques Roadshow presenter Hugh Scully, who died aged 72.

Additional reporting by PA