'KIND, SWEET, TRUTHFUL'
Dale Winton dead – heartbroken stars pay tribute to Supermarket Sweep host after his death at just 62
THE world of showbiz today paid touching tributes to presenter Dale Winton, who died yesterday at the age of 62.
Supermarket Sweep star Winton's death was announced last night by his agent and pals have revealed their heartbreak.
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Celebrity pals including David Walliams and Davina McCall led the tributes to "adored" Winton, who was also the face of the National Lottery.
Comedian Walliams, who featured Winton in his comedy series 'Come Fly with Me' paid a heartfelt tribute to the star on Twitter this morning, describing him as "the best company."
He tweeted: "Dale was the best company, always outrageous and hilarious.
"He adored being in showbusiness and loved meeting fans.
"He devoted his life to making everyone else happy, his friends, the public and his godsons, even though he found it hard to be happy himself.
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"I pray he has found peace."
Pal Davina told her followers "I am so so so sad to hear about Dale Winton.
"A lovely, warm, kind, sensitive, generous soul with a touch of naughty! RIP."
Fellow presenter Julian Clary wrote: "Terribly sad to hear the lovely Dale Winton has died. Kind, sweet, truthful man."
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Archive video of late TV legend Dale Winton returning to screens for his show Florida Fly Drive
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SuperMarket Sweep - Dale Winton - Will You Dance With me
Kate Phillips, controller of entertainment commissioning at the BBC, said: "Dale was an immensely well-loved individual who brought a wonderfully unique and special energy to the many programmes he presented over the years.
"He was extremely kind, brilliantly funny and was a true gentleman.
"It is incredibly sad news that he is no longer with us."
Lisa Armstrong paid tribute to him, saying: “Absolutely gutted, only saw him last week.
"He was one of life’s true gentleman, a heart of gold with a wicked sense of humour. RIP lovely man.”
Frank Bruno added: “Very sad to hear that Dale Winton has passed away, to to young, my thoughts are with his family.”
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In the months leading up to his shock death at just 62, the legendary host was reportedly plagued by health woes, including a battle with depression.
Neighbours have revealed the star looked ill in the weeks leading up to his death, after moving from his £2.9million Regent's Park apartment earlier this month.
Iain Grant, 84, watched removal vans pack away Dale's possessions several weeks ago and said it was clear the star's health was failing him.
He said: "He moved earlier this month and when I saw him go I realised that his health wasn't quite right, he did not look that great."
"Dale was a friendly chap, he would acknowledge you no matter who you were, it is very sad."
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Close friend Steve Allen revealed today that the star told him he'd "had enough" as the pair spoke about the ageing process.
A teary Steve, who first met Dale aged 18, said on LBC this morning: "I feel better for him now, because I don't think he'd been in a good place for a long long time.
"Yesterday, when I went to bed, I knew Dale Winton. Today, Dale Winton is no more and I can't come to terms with that.
The TV personality was born in 1955 in London's Marylebone, but his early years were plagued with tragedy, becoming orphaned by age of 21.
The son of a salesman father, and an actress mother, dad Gary died on 13-year-old Dale's bar mitzvah.
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Dale Winton's best mate Steve Allen reveals the star's dears about ageing - LBC
Just a few days after he turned 21 he discovered his mother Sheree Winton’s dead body at her home.
Speaking in what has become one of his final interviews, Dale revealed he had taken time out of the limelight after battling depression, revealing similar mental health issues led to his mum's suicide.
In June 2016 he told Loose Women his friends were concerned for him after he was pictured looking dishevelled.
He said: "I should have taken myself off the TV but I didn’t.
“Listen, there are worse things in the world — but I had depression and I didn’t realise.
Dale Winton’s rise to TV fame
- King of daytime telly Dale Winton started out as a club DJ before moving to radio.
- He worked at a number of stations in the 1980s, including Radio Trent in Nottingham.
- Dale then switched to TV with appearances on Channel 4, the Lifestyle Channel, and ITV in 1987.
- But his big break came when he hosted the cult hit Supermarket Sweep on ITV in 1993.
- The star poked fun at his irritating gameshow presenter image by playing himself in the film Trainspotting in 1996.
- He also hosted BBC Saturday night game show Pets Win Prizes and the hugely popular National Lottery show.
- Other shows he fronted included 2003’s Celebrity Fit Club on ITV and 2008’s BBC show Hole In The Wall.
By Joe Kasper
The remaining episodes of his new four-parter for Channel 5, Florida Fly Drive, had been rescheduled to this summer.
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The classic intro to Supermarket Sweep starring late and much loved presenter Dale Winton
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“I always thought, ‘Get over yourself’. But my mum died of it. It exists and anybody out there who has had it knows it exists.
“I didn’t want to put one foot in front of the other but for a couple of really good friends.”
Dale, who had also been struggling with shoulder and knee problems, last appeared on TV for Dale Winton's Florida Fly Drive in February this year.
Fans of the telly legend expressed delight to see him back on screen as he visited Walt Disney World for the first time since the 1970s - but it disappeared from schedules after just one show.
But Channel 5 announced today that the remainder of the show will air in early summer.
He became a household name when he began hosting Supermarket Sweep in 1993 - the family favourite show ran until 2000, before being revived in 2007.
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The star was close friends with Cilla Black, who died in 2015.
Dale described her as a "dear and close friend" and "the most loyal person a friend could have".
He also had a cameo as a game show presenter in Danny Boyle's 1996 film of the classic Trainspotting.
Dale came out as gay in his 2002 autobiography and said in a 2008 interview that he had not come out before because no one had ever asked about his sexual orientation.
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