Shock as radio station announces 55-year-old host ‘passed away while presenting his program’

A local radio host died of a suspected heart attack while presenting his daily breakfast show.

Tim Gough, 55, was presenting his morning show for GenX Radio Suffolk when the music stopped playing halfway through a song, about an hour into its slot.

The music resumed a few minutes later, but Mr Gough, who had spoken moments earlier, did not return and the station later confirmed that he had died.

GenX Radio Suffolk posted on their social media accounts: ‘It is with the greatest of heart that I must inform you that our dear friend and breakfast guest Tim Gough passed away this morning while presenting his program.

Our love for his family, son, sister, brother and mother.

“Tim did what he loved. He was 55 years old.’

GenX Radio Suffolk posted on their social media accounts: ‘It is with the greatest of heart that I must inform you that our dear friend and breakfast guest Tim Gough passed away this morning while presenting his programme.’

The presenter, whose radio career dates back to 1986, had wished his listeners a good morning and was looking forward to seeing the radio station appear on DAB in a week’s time.

He provided weather updates all over Suffolk and just minutes before Madness’s ‘Grey Day’ abruptly ended, he was talking about famous couples who have married in Bury, Suffolk over the years.

The father of one spoke his last words after playing the Rolling Stones’ Brown Sugar, noting that it was the birthday of bass guitarist Bill Wyman, a native of Suffolk.

James Hazell, director of GenX Radio Suffolk, was on air from 9am and shortly before 11am informed listeners of the “devastating blow.”

He said, “I speak to you this morning with frankly tragic tragic news.

“This morning at ten to eight, in the middle of Tim Cough’s breakfast show broadcast, he suffered a catastrophic heart attack – as it has been described.

“Despite the best efforts of the paramedics, who were on the scene very quickly, did what they could to CPR for about 20-25 minutes – it wasn’t to be.

“It was in the middle of his program, he was doing something he loved.

He added: ‘I really have no words at this stage, he was 55 years old, very healthy. Who knows why these things happened, but it happened.’

Tim was described as ‘born and raised in Suffolk’ and had worked in the radio industry since the 1980s

Mr Hazell told the East Anglian Daily Times that Mr Gough was ‘an immensely experienced and very talented announcer with an army of fans for his daily programme’.

He added: ‘To know Tim personally, as I have done very well for over 30 years, was to know a warm, caring, fun man whom me and my family loved very much. We are heartbroken by the news.’

His profile on the radio’s website says: ‘Tim was born and raised in Suffolk and grew up in a village close to Bury St Edmunds.

His radio career spanned more than a quarter of a century, starting in 1986 with Radio Orwell.

He then hosted the breakfast show on Saxon Radio and SGR-FM, and appeared on Smooth Radio and several other radio stations in the East Midlands.

It added that the breakfast show on GenX Radio Suffolk marked the first time Mr Gough had been behind the microphone in over a decade.

Condolences and tributes poured in quickly from fans of the local radio, which launched in January this year following the sad announcement.

Linda wrote on Facebook: ‘What sad news. It was so nice to hear his happy voice first thing in the morning.’

Kelly-Anne tweeted: “My dear friend. He did what he loved to do, but I can’t bear the loss.’

Phil said it was “so sad, I really enjoyed his breakfast show RIP.”