Tributes paid to Harrow-born TV-am presenter (From Harrow Times)

Tributes paid to Harrow-born TV-am presenter Mike Morris

10:49am Wednesday 24th October 2012 in News

Colleagues have paid tribute to former TV-am presenter Mike Morris, who died on Monday.

Moustached Morris, 65, was the main male host of the ITV breakfast programme Good Morning Britain in the late 1980s after initially being introduced as a sports presenter.

Born in Harrow in June 1967, he was also well-known to viewers as a host of Yorkshire Television's Calendar programme.

Kelly said Morris made presenting "look easy", adding: "Mike was a delightful man, he was such a generous presenter - he really was brilliant."

Anne Diamond, who shared a sofa with him, said: "He was incredibly popular, I think, because he was just like the guy next door.

"It was completely sincere image he had of just being the ordinary bloke next door, who asked the ordinary bloke-type questions.

"That endeared him to a great many people. It certainly did to me.

"He was always a gentleman, he was always generous. He was very, very funny, a real family man, and I must say I'm terribly sad to hear he has died."

Morris began his career in journalism with the Surrey Comet, after graduating from Manchester University, then specialised in newspaper sports reporting. He went on to work for Thames TV and covered sport for TV-am at its launch in 1983.

During his time on the ITV morning programme he interviewed Nelson Mandela shortly after his release from prison and he was the last presenter heard on TV-am during the final programme at the end of 1992.

He is thought to have been suffering from cancer, and leaves daughters Sarah and Helen as well as three grandchildren.