Tributes pour in for presenter who died while presenting show

Tributes have poured in for a radio presenter who died while presenting his morning show from his home in Lackford, Suffolk. Tim Gough, 55, died from a suspected heart attack on Monday morning while presenting his breakfast show on GenX Radio. The station said Mr Gough died at 7.50am. Music suddenly stopped before starting again several minutes later.GenX said it was “shocked and devastated beyond words” at his death.One of Tim’s friends branded the presenter a “warm and friendly” colleague, who had “a natural ability to be himself when in front of the microphone”. Speaking to Express.co.uk, David Hoffman said: “I first met Tim in 1989 when I joined Saxon Radio in Bury St Edmunds. He was then the breakfast show presenter, soon to re-assigned to a new show. We went for a beer after his breakfast show to try and get to know each other.”Tim was unique. He was warm, friendly, jovial and always the first with a joke or comedic observation, which is exactly how he was on air.” Tim died on Monday morning while presenting the breakfast show (Image: GenX Radio)Mr Gough spent much of his life in Suffolk and began his broadcasting career at Ipswich’s Radio Orwell in 1986.He went on to work as a presenter and programme controller in the East Midlands in the 1990s and 2000s at radio stations including Trent FM, Leicester Sound, Saga Radio and Smooth Radio. Tim in Studio A at Radio Orwell in 1986 (Image: John Richards) The presenter was described as a ‘natural’ (Image: John Richards)John Richards continued: “He had a very warm personality and this came across even in his earliest broadcasts. Tim was not one to be confined to the studio. He loved doing the outside broadcasts and in those early days of Radio Orwell, we did broadcasts from inside the local Coop store.”Tim also loved the true outdoor broadcasts too and especially at town shows and fetes. He especially loved the Custard Pie Throwing Contest one year. Unlike me, Tim was football crazy for his team, Norwich City FC – he seldom missed a match and was often there with his son, Isaac – who is the spitting image of Tim in his teens.”Tim’s other favourite haunt was Ipswich Sports Club, where he spent many hours in the company of friends. Tim loved to get out and meet people, and this extended to his globe-trotting holidays – he was especially fond of his trips to the USA. Tim was an absolute natural in radio. Aside from his affable personality and friendly voice, he was very much the consummate professional broadcaster – making the difficult seem easy to listeners, and indeed colleagues in the studios.”Tim has gone way too soon and I feel for his loved ones, especially his son, but Tim died doing whilst doing what he really loved – engaging with other people through the wonderful friend to people that is local radio.”DON’T MISS:UK’s worst airport named after ‘resources pushed to breaking point’ [INSIGHT]London landmarks lit up to highlight those who do not have safe water [COMMENT]Credit Suisse axes 9,000 jobs after ‘ugly’ losses [ANALYSIS] Tim taking part in a Pie Throwing Contest (Image: John Richards)His colleague Mark Eley said on Facebook that Mr Gough had died “doing what he loved most”.”Today is such a very sad day,” he added. “A son, a brother, and a dear friend and colleague from the GenX Radio Suffolk family has been taken from us far too soon.”Tim leaves behind a huge hole which is impossible to fill and we are all in shock.”In the short time I have known him, it is clear to see his talent and passion for radio and the knowledge and support that he has shown to others is huge. I have learnt so much from Tim.”