Some people dream of dying while doing what they love. Tim Gough, a longtime British radio talk show host, did just that while his show was airing live. He died early on Monday morning at the age of 55. The talk show host for GenX Radio unexpectedly had a heart attack during his program and died while he was in the middle of presenting his daily segment to his audience.
Gough was born in Suffolk, UK, which is a country east of England. He was presenting his show from his home there when he died suddenly. Now, people are reeling from the surprise death of the popular radio talk show personality.
The staff of GenX Radio is “shocked and devastated beyond words” following the death of 55-year-old Gough during his show. Fellow staffers recalled Gough as “a hugely experienced and highly talented broadcaster with an army of fans for his daily show.”
Radio talk show host, James Hazell’s death was especially hard on GenX Radio managing director, Gough. The two had worked together for years and Gough had seen firsthand both the successes and failures of Hazell’s career.
“Tim has been on the radio since the 80s and had come out of radio retirement to fully involve himself in our project from the beginning, to bring local commercial radio back to his beloved Suffolk, and was hugely excited for our DAB launch at the end of the month,” Hazell stated.
Throughout his time with Gough, Hazell always remembered the radio talk show personality very fondly. Losing Gough has been a major blow for GenX Radio, who relied on him for his morning show regularly, as did his many fans.
“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’s statement reads. “I know his family is enormously comforted by the hundreds of loving messages that have been received and have asked for privacy at this devastating time.”
On Monday, GenX Radio aired a tribute to Gough, “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.”
Gough’s radio career started over three decades ago, as stated in his bio on the GenX Radio website. He has worked on various local radio shows throughout the United Kingdom at stations such as Radio Orwell, Saxon Radio, and SGR-FM. Gough had previously retired but decided to come back and host the GenX Radio Suffolk show Tim Gough at Breakfast. He also made an appearance on Smooth Radio station while he was there.
