T.V presenter Richard Whiteley has died after a prolonged period of illness.

To British hecklers of a certain age, Whiteley was among the most familiar faces on the airwaves. His show Countdown – nothing more than a simple letters and numbers game – ran solidly for twenty years and entertained pre-teens to pensioners alike.

In a T.V landscape where charmless no-marks like Vernon Kay are considered hot property, a genuinely pleasant and self-effacing personality such as Whiteley will be sorely missed. hecklerspray hopes you’ll join us in offering our condolences to his family and friends.

Teatimes will never be the same again.