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Tony Blackburn on Keith Chegwin and his 'drink problems'

Radio DJ Tony Blackburn has paid tribute to his great friend, TV presenter Keith Chegwin, who has died aged 60, and says he will miss his childish sense of humour.

Cheggers was a great friend of mine and I can't believe he's gone. I will really miss mucking around with him.

I spoke to him only four or five weeks ago. He left a message on Twitter saying he wouldn't be doing it for some time, so I rang him up and said: "What's the problem?"

He said: "I've been very unwell and I didn't want to bother people."

He said he had a problem with his lungs. I didn't realise it was so bad, and he said he was recovering and would be better soon.

I didn't want to bother him and was going to get him in touch when he was better, but that never happened.

I found out he had died from a friend at BBC Berkshire. I just couldn't believe it - my wife and I were writing his Christmas card last night. We used to write stupid Christmas cards to each other.

Just being with Cheggers was great fun. We worked together on Radio One, we did the children's shows together with his first wife Maggie, then Keith would go off and do Swap Shop.

:: TV presenter Keith Chegwin dies aged 60

I was touring around with him for ITV, we did a lot together for the breakfast show.

We were called the Clues Brothers, we were just all over the place, he was terrific, I absolutely adored him.

There wasn't a nasty bone in his body, he was great fun to be with.

I've got a lot of energy but he's got more. We used to wear the crew out.

He had a lovely childish sense of humour and he was exactly the same person on TV as off.

We were very similar as we have a lot of energy and found it difficult to sleep. When we were filming abroad we'd sit up late at night, chatting for hours.

Although he was 14 years younger than me I didn't ever notice the age gap, he was just tremendous to be with.

Sixty is definitely too young to go.

Cheggers was very honest. I invited him to our wedding and I didn't realise he was having drink problems. I was working with him, and had no idea, you couldn't tell at all.

He said he wasn't able to come to our wedding, then somebody told me he was in recovery so I rang him.

He just said he didn't want to bother me, he was a very considerate man, a real family man, he really loved his wife.

I was surprised when he told me he'd been ill and had a serious lung condition. He did used to smoke a lot, even at the airport, he'd have to go and smoke in those little areas.

On the airplane he used to suck on this stick which gave him nicotine.

He'd be very flattered with all the tributes. I don't know anybody who had a bad word to say about him.

In the studio he'd treat the cameramen, runners the same. I've seen people be not very nice, but never him.