Tributes flood in for Lyttelton

Published Monday 28 April 2008 at 12:10 by Matthew Hemley

Tributes have been paid to trumpeter and BBC broadcaster Humphrey Lyttelton, who died on Friday aged 86.

Lyttelton retired from BBC Radio 2’s The Best of Jazz last month after 40 years, but was due to continue as the host of BBC Radio 4’s popular panel show, I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue.

He died on Friday following an operation on his heart.

Graeme Garden, a regular panellist on I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue, said: “We are all shattered by the news. Humph was funny and charming and always full of energy. He was a great musician, band leader and broadcaster, and whatever he did was done with perfect timing. But, above all, he was an immensely loveable man.”

BBC director general Mark Thompson described Lyttelton as “one of the towering figures of British jazz” and as someone who “excelled as a broadcaster on television and radio”.

He said: “On I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue, all of his gifts were on show - his warmth and conviviality, his wit, his mischievousness. He was a unique, irreplaceable talent.”

BBC director of audio and music Jenny Abramsky described Lyttelton as “warm, erudite, funny and scurrilous”, while Radio 4 controller Mark Damazer said: “We’ve lost a giant and we are immeasurably grateful for all he gave to Radio 4 listeners for so long.”