HEARTBREAKING: Kate Garraway and Susanna Reid SHARE Deeply Moving Message in MEMORY of GMB star John Stapleton

Susanna Reid paid an emotional tribute to John Stapleton (Image: ITV)

Beloved Good Morning Britain star John Stapleton has d1ed aged 79 after battling Parkinson’s disease. His agent announced in a statement: “John had Parkinson’s disease which was complicated by pneumonia. His son Nick and daughter-in-law Lisa have been constantly at his side and John d1ed peacefully in hospital this morning.”

It comes a year after the GMTV and and Daybreak legend revealed his condition in an emotional interview on BBC One’s Morning Live.

Tributes have poured in from John’s GMB co-stars, as Susanna Reid penned: “So so sad to hear of John Stapleton’s d3ath. He was a legend in broadcasting, the consummate pro and always good-humoured and gracious to work with. A huge part of GMB’s story and television history. Sending love to John’s family.”

Charlotte Hawkins wrote: “So sad to hear John Stapleton – our ‘Stapes’ has d1ed. He was such a brilliant broadcaster and I loved working with him on GMB. A genuinely lovely man, it was good to see him when he came in just a few months ago to talk about his Parkinson’s diagnosis. He’ll be much missed.”

John d1ed after battling Parkinson’s disease (Image: Getty)

Kate Garraway added: “Absolutely devastated to hear of the passing of my dear friend and journalistic hero #johnstapleton . Rock solid broadcaster and the ultimate gentleman. His experience stretched back to when he was a cub reporter on the Yorkshire Post. On his first day alone in the office, he took a call from the police to say that they were starting to dredge the moors looking for what they feared were the bodies of murdered children.

“He found himself less than an hour later at the scene of one of our nation’s most horrific crimes. Others will pay testimony to his incredible career better than I, and I hope they do but all I can say is he was most generous co partner, always lifting who was along side him up , never crushing or ramming that he knew better ( which he did!) down their throat, never taking over and always always fair , truthful and honourable.

“Huge fun too – no one told a story down the pub better than John. We will not see his like again . Thinking of his son Nick and all who knew and loved him.”

Appearing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain in October, John said of his diagnosis: “There’s no point in being miserable. It won’t ever change.

“I mean, Parkinson’s is here with me now for the rest of my life. Best I can do is try and control it and take the advice of all the experts.”

His wife, Lynn Faulds Wood, with whom Stapleton presented Watchdog, d1ed from a stroke in 2020.