Columnist Rod Liddle dies aged 66 after short illness

Tributes poured in to Rod Liddle, the broadcaster and journalist famed for his acerbic commentaries, who has died after a short illness, at the age of 66. A former BBC Radio 4 Today programme editor, who revelled in his reputation as a provocateur, Liddle died at The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough on Sunday evening. A high-profile columnist on The Sunday Times and The Sun, Liddle had a weekly column in The Spectator, as well as a Times Radio show. A critic of what he perceived to be a “liberal” bias within the BBC, in 2002, Liddle resigned as editor of the Today programme after writing a newspaper column about a rural protest march that critics and BBC bosses said breached his commitment to editorial impartiality. John Humphrys, Today presenter during Liddle’s editorship, told the i paper: “Rod was wonderful to work with. We argued like hell – I can’t remember how many times he sacked me and I resigned in anger.” “Rod brought life, fun energy and compassion to Today. He had an understanding of what makes people tick. As a presenter there was just somerhing quite magical about him. You never knew what you would end up with. He was a one-off.” Humphrys, who remained friends with Liddle after the editor left the BBC, added: “Rod became one of the greatest columnists I was ever priviledged to read. He was brilliantly funny.” “He tried to conceal it but he was also very wise and thoughtful, a very kind and decent man. He hadn’ had ant had easy life but he was blessed with an extraordinary talent. We can’t replace him.” Justin Webb, the longstanding Today presenter, said: “: He was in many respects the complete opposite of the image that he liked to portray. He cared deeply about people and about civilised behaviour. “He was obviously enormously funny and enormously talented but he never let that destroy his relationships with the people he grew up with and who knew him best he was responsible for quite a lot of mad stuff on Today but he also had a genuine hostility to authority that is the mark of a truly great journalist.” “We’re all very saddened and shocked at the sudden passing of our wonderful father,” his children, Wilder, Tyler and Emmy said. “He raised us much as you might imagine, to be inquisitive, brave and always humorous. “Even in hospital in the last few weeks, he consistently held the room and never let the awful situation show. “He has left a legacy that we are all incredibly proud of, he will always be our guide on how to live an extraordinary life.” EXPLORE MORE ON THE TOPICS IN THIS STORY