Veteran DJ Brian Matthew ISN'T dead: BBC mistakenly announce Sounds of the 60s presenter's passing 

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The BBC says it mistakenly announced the death of Radio 2 presenter Brian Matthew after 'being wrongly informed by his family'

The BBC has revealed it mistakenly announced the death of Radio 2 presenter Brian Matthew after 'being wrongly informed by his family'.

The veteran host of the long-running Sounds Of The 60s programme is in fact alive but remains critically ill at the age of 88, it has emerged.

The BBC said in a statement this afternoon: 'We were informed by close family and friends that Brian had passed away in the night. 

'They have since been in contact to say that he remains critically ill.' 

The BBC said they will 'update with more information' when they have it, adding: 'Our thoughts remain with his family at this very difficult time.' 

Matthew, who was once dubbed Britain's oldest DJ, stepped down from the popular programme Sounds Of The 60s in February after 27 years.

Earlier today, the BBC reported that a statement released on behalf of Matthew's family said the 'beloved' DJ died last night.

It comes three months after the corporation axed the DJ against his will whilst he was off work recovering from a fall. 

But, in a victory for Radio 2 listeners, in January he was invited back into the studio to record a series of 'specials' including a farewell show.

The last full show Matthew presented was in November 2016.

The BBC was forced to give way after furious listeners threatened to boycott the station in disgust over the 'heartless' way Matthew was treated.

More than 5,000 people signed an online petition to get Matthew back on air, and scores of fans contacted the Daily Mail in outrage.

The BBC said in a statement this afternoon (pictured): 'We were informed by close family and friends that Brian had passed away in the night'

Matthew (pictured) has won endless gongs for his radio work, including, in 2008, a Sony Gold Award, the industry’s answer to an Oscar

They lamented the loss of the DJ's 'mellow, unmistakable' voice, and the way he discussed sixties music as if 'from memory'.

And they accused the BBC of ageism and 'underhand' behaviour, as it used a 'fairly minor health setback…to ditch him'. 

Matthew started broadcasting in 1948 in Germany and trained as an actor before joining the BBC in 1954.

After Radio 2 was launched in 1967, he became one of the station's first DJs and hosted programmes such as Saturday Club, Thank Your Lucky Stars and Late Night Extra, but was best known for presenting the long-running Round Midnight programme which won the 1987 Pulitzer Publishing Award.

In April 1990 he began presenting Sounds Of The 60s, which won a Gold Sony Radio Award in 1996, until a special farewell episode earlier this year in which he said he was 'saddened to leave'.

People took to Twitter to share their shock at the BBC mistakenly announcing the DJ's death

When it was thought he had died, tributes to the 'outstanding' Matthew were led by the BBC's director-general Tony Hall who said he had 'entertained and engaged millions over generations'.

He added: 'He had a wonderful style of delivery and a real connection with his listeners.

'Brian was a true broadcasting great. We will all miss him and, of course, that voice.'

Head of Radio 2, Lewis Carnie, said: 'Brian was one of this country's most popular and best-loved presenters, delighting millions of listeners with his memories and favourite tunes on Sounds Of The 60s for 27 years.

'On behalf of everyone at Radio 2, we send love and our best wishes to his family at this difficult time.'

Director of BBC radio and music, and former controller of Radio 2 Bob Shennan, said: 'Brian was a radio legend.

'For decades, his voice was the sound of Saturday mornings, giving pleasure to listeners on Sounds Of The 60s with his wit and warmth. He will be sorely missed.' 

After Radio 2 was launched in 1967, he became one of the station's first DJs and hosted programmes such as Saturday Club, Thank Your Lucky Stars (pictured) and Late Night Extra

Radio 2 host Brian Matthew, who hosted Sounds Of The 60s, is pictured in September 1962

When he was axed from the show, the BBC claimed that it had mutually agreed that the veteran presenter needed 'to step off the treadmill of presenting the show' - but Matthew said that was 'absolute balderdash'.

'I was ready and willing and able to go back, and they've just said they are going to put the programme in the hands of other people,' he said in a furious tirade earlier this year. 

Matthew is one of the most enduring, popular voices on BBC2, a 'radio legend' who joined the BBC in 1954 and, over the years, hosted one flagship show after another — Saturday Club (one of the first programmes to broadcast pop music), ITV show Thank Your Lucky Stars and Round Midnight.

He presented Sounds Of The 60s for 25 years.

'One of the many irritating things about all this is I do actually know what I’m talking about. I was there. I met the bands,' he said.

He did more than that. He went on tour with The Beatles — at their request. 'I had an absolutely first-class relationship with them, but it was George who impressed me the most. He was wonderful.'

He became best friends with their manager Brian Epstein, adored Cliff Richard ('a lovely, gentle man') and Dave Davies of The Kinks, and counted Princess Margaret among his most passionate fans. 

Matthew is pictured with The Beatles. He once went on tour with the band at their request

Over the years, he interviewed everyone from Sir Georg Solti to Sonny and Cher — and regularly had the mickey taken out of him by a young, swaggering Mick Jagger.

'I didn’t like The Rolling Stones,' he says. 'No way. I thought they were peculiar and vulgar and they certainly weren’t friendly.' 

Matthew was born in Coventry in 1928, in a deeply musical family — his mother was a professional singer and his father a conductor of the Coventry Silver Band.

He started in Forces Radio, was a milkman, was classically trained at RADA and met his actress wife Pamela Wickington in a performance of Henry V at the Old Vic. 

They have been together for 51 years and have a son, Christopher.

In his heyday, Brian bought a 36ft yacht, which he called Round Midnight, built a huge swimming pool in the garden and had a 45-seat theatre built at their home, in which he and Pamela performed, entertaining friends and family.

Meanwhile, he has won endless gongs for his radio work, including, in 2008, a Sony Gold Award, the industry’s answer to an Oscar, and a lifetime award ‘in recognition of a truly outstanding contribution to UK radio’.