BBC star Bill Turnbull next to a wall of yellow and orange flowers
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Bill Turnbull’s emotional battle with cancer revealed

Bill would express his emotions in a heartbreaking way

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Former BBC Breakfast host Bill Turnbull revealed in an interview in 2019 that he would ‘shout at his cancer’ as a way of releasing his emotions.

The legendary presenter sadly passed away on Wednesday from prostate cancer, aged just 66.

Bill Turnbull smiles widely.
Presenter Bill sadly died on Wednesday (Credit: Splashnews.com)

Bill Turnbull expressed his emotions

In an interview with the Express Saturday Magazine in 2019, Bill shared the heartbreaking way that he expressed the emotions that having cancer had brought.

He expressed at the time: “Sometimes I go down to the bottom of the garden at night and shout at my cancer.”

Bill also discussed the documentary he fronted about the illness titled Bill Turnbull: Staying Alive.

The documentary followed Bill during his multiple rounds of intense chemotherapy and his exploration of alternative medicines such as CBD.

He stated: “I’m a bit embarrassed because you see me crying so much. I do have days where I weep quite a lot,

“Partly because I’m on a hormone treatment which makes me spill over, but I do believe that crying is a very important thing to do when under this kind of stress.”

BBC Breakfast’s tribute show

Today’s BBC Breakfast show was dedicated to Bill, who was a former presenter on the show from 2001 to 2016.

BBC star Bill Turnbull and Susanna Reid walk arm in arm laughing.
The special tribute show spoke to former co-workers such as Susanna Reid and Louise Minchin (Credit: Splashnews.com)

The show included interviews with people close to Bill, including Susanna Reid and Louise Minchin, both of whom shared the infamous red couch with Bill. 

Read more: Bill Turnbull’s former Strictly partner gets choked up as she reveals heartwarming ‘last texts’ with him

Speaking about Bill, Susanna said: “He mentored everybody on the programme; he was like the father of BBC Breakfast.

“He taught me everything. He taught so many of us everything about journalism, about television and about being a decent person in this industry… he was kind, compassionate and wise and a great friend.

“I loved every minute of being with him. I’m going to really miss him.”

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