'My first telly chum': Noel Edmonds breaks down live on radio as he describes 'shock' at Keith Chegwin's sudden death
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Noel Edmonds broke down in tears live on radio this afternoon as he paid tribute to Keith Chegwin.
The star died last night after a ''long-term battle with a progressive lung condition."
And Edmonds - who starred in Swap Shop with the star - said his death came as "a profound shock".
"I had absolutely no idea that Keith was so poorly, I've just been talking to John Craven and he didn't know," he said.
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(Image: Grab)
He added: "And as you can probably tell I'm very upset by the lost of my first telly chum because we weren't just colleagues, we were good mates."
As Noel talked about their time on Swap Shop together, his voice broke as he teared up.
And fans took to Twitter to share their heartbreak listening to the interview.
"Tearful tribute from Noel Edmonds on BBC Radio 4 #RIPKeithChegwin," one listener tweeted.
"Sad to hear Cheggers passed away, but more crushing was hearing Noel Edmonds break down on pm on radio4," another wrote.
(Image: London Features International)
"I’ve lost my first real telly chum and I’m certain I’m not alone in shedding tears for a true telly legend," Edmonds told the Radio Times earlier today.
"Cheggers and I launched Swap Shop together.
"Yes, we had the wonderful broadcaster John Craven to keep us in line but it was the chemistry between myself and Keith that initially created the Swap Shop magic that enthralled millions of children every Saturday morning on BBC1.
"Only those who’ve presented live television really know how difficult it is to make it look easy.
"I had the luxury of hosting the show from behind the desk in a warm studio but Keith was out on the road in all weathers. He was an extraordinary showman capable of entertaining a vast crowd of excited children during the long periods between his live contributions to the show."