Richard Whitely

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Television presenter and journalist Richard Whiteley has died just days after undergoing heart surgery.
The host of Channel 4's daytime game show Countdown for 23 years, Whiteley died in Leeds General Infirmary.

The 61-year-old presenter from Ilkley, West Yorkshire, fell ill with pneumonia in May and was rushed to hospital. He had been said to be recovering slowly.

Whiteley, who had fronted the show with Carol Vorderman since 1982, is still on screen as the show is pre-recorded.

Real shock

Vorderman's agent, John Miles, said the pair were friends as well as colleagues, and she is devastated by the death.

He said: "He'd had an operation, but this really is a shock. He'd seemed to be OK.

I'm shocked. It's terrible new

Terry Wogan


Obituary: Richard Whiteley

"Carol was told about his death by a member of his family."
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Very sad news. I will not repeat the naughty thing that Diamond Geezer said when I informed him of the news :rolleyes:
 
Originally posted by Arkwright@Jun 26 2005, 10:51 PM
Richard Whiteley/Clarendon Racing own the horse.
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Just looked it up on the RP. Someone in the shop commented that they thought it was owned by him. I remember his other horse, Mare Of Wetwang :)
 
I think he was the Mayor of Wetwang at one time,hence the naming of the horse (spelling mare as the horse was a filly/mare)
 
Oh, shame, shame. I loved Countdown until ATR took over my affections. His puns were atrocious, his ties even worse, but daytime tv will not be the same without him. Terribly sad. I can believe that Carol V's devastated - they were a great double act, and seemed genuinely happy on the show together. Didn't he have a horse called something like I'LL HAVEACONSONANT some years ago, too?

My quiet, reclusive, but v. sweet little neighbour across the hall died in her chair a few days ago, we had the Police come round on Saturday to break in and find her, and I was beginning to feel a bit less sad today, and now one of the cheeriest shows loses its main component. What with this and GYPSY KING, it's a nasty end to the week.
 
Only 61 I think too. No age at all. He was an institution and I cannot believe Countdown could continue without him. Evidently, he had a heart operation 2 days ago, and was making good progress. Sounds like his death may have been unexpected complications after the operaton.

Desperately sad news. :(
 
I heard this on the radio on waking up - what a shock. How very young too - it's not really sinking in yet how old my grandparents are. It is my grandpa's 80th birthday next month and I really cannot believe he is that age. Granny is only a few years off 80 too but they are so young-looking & acting; they are both so very active still (despite Grandpa's growing aneurysm) that I really can't classify them as being old at all. Mind you, all my great-grandparents on that side of the family lived healthily well into their 90's.
 
He'd have loved this:

whitely2.jpg
 
Originally posted by Diamond Geezer@Jul 2 2005, 11:02 AM
Seems he got pneumonia at one point so he got a bonus for getting a 9 letter word and using all the vowels
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:lol: :lol:
 
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