Jeremy Beadle dies, aged 59.

**Sonicboy 101** · January 31st, 2008, 18:01

Jeremy Beadle died yesterday. Many people from outside the UK may not know him, but this is a great loss. Article from BBC:

A stalwart of Saturday night TV during the 1980s and 1990s, Beadle's wife and close friend were at his bedside as he succumbed following short battle with pneumonia.

He was estimated to have raised more than £100 million for charity.

Beadle was one of ITV's best-known faces for more than 15 years, regularly pulling in audiences in excess of 15 million for shows such as Beadle's About and You've Been Framed.

He had battled ill health in recent years, having been diagnosed with cancer in 2005.

Paying tribute to the star, Henry Kelly, Beadle's co-presenter on 1980s hidden camera show Game For A Laugh, described him as the "most wonderful friend to have and the most entertaining company you could possibly imagine".

He added: "I loved and admired him and I shall miss him desperately."

Noel Edmonds, Beadle's one-time BBC "rival", admitted he was shocked by the news.

He said: "He was a consummate professional but also a greatly misunderstood man – a great TV talent who was never truly appreciated.

"I was always astonished at his ability to raise funds for charity. Nobody in showbusiness raised more money than him.

"This is a sad loss for TV and a great shame."

Sir Alan Sugar, the entrepreneur, and his wife, Ann, were close friends of the star.

He said: "Jeremy was a great friend of mine and one of the most charitably minded and generous people I have ever come across. He did so much work behind the scenes for many great causes that many people aren't aware of.

"He was also one of the greatest comedy talents of our generation – he made millions laugh and he will never be forgotten."

Beadle leaves his wife, Sue, daughters Cassie and Bonnie, and stepchildren Leo and Claire.

Before achieving fame, Beadle worked as taxi driver, tour guide, rock music promoter and a journalist. He also had a successful career on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4.

In 1998, he courted controversy when he admitted he had helped a friend dying of motor neurone disease to take his own life.

The presenter turned his hand more recently to publishing, working on a series of million-selling reference books, including The People's Almanac and the Book of Lists.

However, he could never resist the odd foray into TV, taking part in programmes such as Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
, Celebrity Mastermind, and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

Beadle was the chairman of Celebrity Friends of Children with Leukaemia, taking part in numerous public appearances and fronting many campaigns for the group.

Beadle was awarded an MBE in 2001.

Dianne Nelmes, the executive producer of the You've Been Framed when it launched in 1990, described him as "one of the most genuine, hard-working, lovely people that I have ever worked with".

She added: "Because of You've Been Framed and Beadle's About, he had a reputation as someone who was forever playing tricks on people, but in reality he was the kindest person you could ever meet," she said. "At the end of each show, he would spend hours chatting to members of the public who had appeared on it.

"Even when he was exhausted, he would always find the time to talk to them all. He was utterly professional and a lovely man."