Ed “Stewpot” Stewart, the former Crackerjack presenter and BBC Radio DJ, has died at the age of 74. He suffered a stroke a few days ago and died in hospital in Bournemouth.
Stewart’s former brother-in-law, Adriano Henney, posted the news on Twitter.
sad to report sudden passing of my former brother in law #EdStewart #StewpotEd after short illness-Fun guy-Huge loss pic.twitter.com/CbwSYyRgvm
— Adriano Henney (@adrianohenney) January 9, 2016
Stewart was one of the first presenters on Radio 1 when it was launched in 1967. The following year he began presenting the children’s radio show Junior Choice. Broadcast on Saturday and Sunday mornings, it helped make famous songs such as Rolf Harris’s Two Little Boys and A Pink Toothbrush by Max Bygraves. Miranda Sawyer once described Junior Choice as “a never-ending selection of silly records with Stewpot burbling happily in between”.
Stewart was recently heard presenting a special Christmas edition of the show on Radio 2. He is best known for hosting Crackerjack on BBC television from 1973 to 1979. “I still can’t walk into a pub without someone shouting ‘It’s Friday, it’s five to five … it’s Crackerjack!’” he told the Express in 2014.
A series of personalities paid tribute to Stewart. David Hamilton, a former BBC presenter, hailed his colleague’s versatility: “Like all of us, radio was his first love. But … he was one of those radio people who did also work well on television.”
BBC presenter Zoe Ball tweeted:
Sad to hear Ed stewpot Stewart has died. #juniorchoice & #crackerjack big favourites. 💗💗💗
— Zoe Ball (@ZoeTheBall) January 9, 2016
Samira Ahmed, another BBC presenter, tweeted:
Honouring the late Ed Stewpot Stewart w this on Crackerjack & the Cold War https://t.co/6KavvSIzfH https://t.co/UQf8VB0Evb
— Samira Ahmed (@SamiraAhmedUK) January 9, 2016
The BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew tweeted:
Very sorry to see Ed Stewpot Stewart has died. Proper gent of radio and Junior Choice was a classic. Opened Bainton village fete in 1973 RIP
— Jonathan Agnew (@Aggerscricket) January 9, 2016
Bob Shennan, the BBC’s director of music, said: “Everyone at Radio 2 is extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Ed ‘Stewpot’ Stewart. Ed has been a stalwart of popular music broadcasting for many years and over the past few Christmases, he brought back Junior Choice to the delight of millions of loyal listeners. We are thinking of Ed’s friends and family at this difficult time.”
Born Edward Stewart Mainwaring in 1941 in Exmouth, Devon, Stewart began his career with Radio Hong Kong then returned to Britain to join the pirate station Radio London before the launch of Radio 1. Stewart initially presented Happening Sunday before moving on to Junior Choice.
The presenter switched to Radio 2 in the late 70s and in 1984 joined Radio Mercury when the BBC did not renew his contract. The broadcaster invited Stewart back five years later, but then made him retire on his 65th birthday in 2006.
He was asked back the following year to present Junior Choice to celebrate Radio 2’s 40th birthday. The station also broadcast a Christmas special edition in 2014.
