Richard Whiteley

I just called Channel 4 and spoke to a very helpful receptionist. I could hear the sadness in his voice too - very comforting to know Richard has this affect on tthe staff.

They are not sure if an announcement will be made after the film, the duty manager is still deciding apparently.

Not sure if anyone remembers the recent promo/trail featuring various Channel 4 celebs. There is one in which Richard explains he hopes to be remembered as the first face on Channel 4. Unlikely to be seen again on-air under the circumstances but what a lovely memory.

It would be nice if Channel 4 ever shut down, and his face was the last shown. Unlikely that Channel 4 will shut down, but it's just a thought!

I personally think the show cannot carry on, Countdown was Richard's Whiteley show, I am sorry to say but I think this is the end for Countdown, you just can't see it with it another presenter presenting the show who could do the job as charming and professionally as he did.

They're saying on Sky News now that he died during heart surgery.

Yes - they revealed that quite early on when speaking to his friend Michael Wilson. Apparently he died from complications during surgery on an infected heart valve.

The news came as a shock to me, I can't believe it - I really thought he was going to pull through.

RIP Richard.

All very sad and it seems Channel 4 are not saying anything this evening on-air. I guess they are planning a tribute etc., but I still think the continuity announcer could have mentioned it over a presentation slide with no sound.

If anyone spots anything like this please could they post it on the forum... I have to go to bed now.

Richard Whiteley OBE: 1943-2005

Maybe Carol could present the show on her own?

We may get an announcement at 05:20 this morning just before the repeated episode of Countdown, if anyone's going to be up at that time to check...

If there's no sound how will we hear the announcer!?

I really don't see the point of making an announcement on air, It's certainly without precedent. What could they say that was in anyway tactful or useful: 'and by the way, in case you haven't heard Richard Whitley's died'. Especially when it would be just a brief statement like that with no context or any proper news. After all C4, understandably, haven't made a statement. It's not up to whoever is on duty tonight at Horseferry road to make a meaningful or useful statement to the public

Slightly OT, but I was watching Countdown on either Wednesday or Thursday last week and I couldn't help notice a viewer that Richard read out from these Primary School kids who watch the show at 5.00am. In their letters they asked 'Mr Whitley' to open up their School fete sometime in July, whilst I couldn't help thinking to myself, those poor kids, as the man is still going to be in Hospital or at least recovering at home. Just a shame he took a turn for the worse.

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet but this is from Reuters:



This suggests that the use of the guest presenters was always going to be a temporary measure, and that Channel 4 was not planning for the worst scenario, which unfortunately played out yesterday...