Susanna Reid shared a special partnership with former co-star Bill Turnbull, who sadly died on Wednesday aged 66 after a five-year battle with prostate cancer. The Good Morning Britain host and Bill's friendship shone on-screen with their effortless banter and cheeky jokes.
Susanna today described Bill as the "kindest, funniest, most generous man in the business", adding: "I feel lucky to have worked with him and he taught me everything. But above all, he was devoted to his family and I am heartbroken for them. RIP Bill. We will miss you so much."
The pair famously worked together on BBC Breakfast, where Bill appeared for more than 15 years before his departure in 2016. They were then reunited on the odd occasion for rival show GMB over the past few years.
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On his reunion with Susanna for a special three-day run at the end of February in 2020, when the veteran TV and radio star filled in for Piers Morgan, Bill talked about how their time together made his job more enjoyable.
"Susanna's an old friend. I first worked with her in Washington when I was a correspondent and she was a producer, which must be 25 years ago," he said.
"It's great when you work with someone you like on television and it's effortless.
"It comes really naturally and you develop a rhythm and a silent understanding of who is going to do what and you recognise each other's patterns and it's easy.
"When you come off air, you feel like you've really enjoyed it, that's when it works well. Sometimes you come off air and your head is ready to explode because you haven’t got on so well with your on-air partner.
"But I’ve been blessed with most of mine that it's always been good. I’m thrilled to be working with her again."
The broadcaster returned to GMB presenting duties the following year when Piers Morgan exited the ITV show after a heated row about Meghan Markle in May 2021.
Bill expressed his gratitude to be working alongside his "old pal" Susanna again, and during their time on-screen sat side-by-side once again, they exchanged a number of cheeky jokes.
In one episode, viewers saw Susanna ask Bill if he had suffered 'nightmares' and he admitted that while he didn't sleep that well, he still found time to get up and do a spot of yoga.
He said at the time: "Always first time back on an early I never sleep properly anyway. But I got up early and I did my yoga.
"I've always done that, 10 to 15 minutes of yoga to get the blood flowing. Downward dog and all that. We can have a go later, Susanna. There's plenty of space here on the floor.
"Before we finish on Wednesday, we should do a session on the floor."
He then joked: "I mean of yoga!" to which Susanna replied: "Steady on, Bill Turnbull. We have known each other a long time."
Susanna called him a "saucepot", to which he replied: "I've been called a lot of things in my time on air but saucepot? Never before."
In another episode, Bill continued their banter as they spoke about his love of bees.
"I keep bees - well I try to. I've been doing it for 20 years now with more or less success," he said. "Diarmuid Gavin is saying we should ban the mowing of lawns because he says if you let things grow, there's more place for things to [go]."
A clip of a bee on Bill's finger was shown as Charlotte Hawkins asked: "Do you handle every bee?"
"No I don't," he replied. "That one was a special one because it was called Susanna."
Susanna was touched as she "awwed" at the comment.
But Bill added: "That's the only time I'll have a Susanna eating out of my hand."
Susanna raised her eyebrows as she appeared to stomach a giggle.
Neil Thompson, Good Morning Britain Editor, praised the pair's 'brilliant and enduring onscreen partnership' ahead of them reuniting last year.
On the announcement, he said: "I'm thrilled that Bill is re-joining us behind the GMB desk.
"It's not just his brilliant and enduring onscreen partnership with Susanna that makes its mark, it's his relationship with the audience in general, one based on authenticity, authority, warmth, humour and trust."
Bill Turnbull was diagnosed with prostate cancer back in 2017 and went public with his battle the following year.
Bill's heartbroken wife Sarah, known as Sesi, released a statement read out on BBC Breakfast on Thursday, paying tribute to Bill as they announced he had passed away peacefully at his home in Suffolk on Wednesday.
