Veteran newsreader Bill Pitt died last night (November 17), aged 80, in Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital after a short illness.
He had been a senior member of the Academy FM Thanet news team since joining the station in 2013, and was a helpful mentor to less experienced colleagues.
Station manager Bob Mower said: “We’re in total shock. Bill was playing an active part in our programmes until just a few days ago.
“He was a lively character who’d had an interesting life, and he was a natural on the air. And with his particular background, he was also a natural at our public events.
“He was a lovely bloke and he’ll be greatly missed. Our hearts go out to his wife Janet and his family and friends.”
Bill Pitt was born in Brixton Hill, south London. After National Service in the Royal Army Service Corps, he worked in lighting design, management training and local government. Living in Croydon for much of his life, he served as Liberal MP for Croydon North West in the early 1980s.
Bill moved to Broadstairs in 1988 with Janet, who is an artist and a retired teacher.
In recent years, Bill has sung in local choirs and been chairman of Broadstairs Music Recital Society. The society presented its final concert in March, but Bill and Janet continued to organise classical events at York Street Methodist Church in Broadstairs.
