Family and listeners pay tribute after 'legend' BBC radio DJ dies aged 57

Published: 11:22, 8 May 2026 | Updated: 11:24, 8 May 2026 Tributes have poured in for local radio 'legend' Dave Llewellyn, who has died at the age of 57 following a brief illness. The much-loved BBC Radio Tees DJ became a household name as the voice of traffic across the region for more than two decades. The presenter, instantly recognisable for his striking red hair, started his career as the 'eye in the sky' aboard a light aircraft above Teesside. Born and raised in Fishburn, County Durham, he subsequently settled in Yarm, North Yorkshire, alongside his wife Ange and their daughter, Amy.  Llewellyn had a deep-rooted love of music, both as a performer and a producer.  As travel presenter, he would do 12 traffic bulletins an hour on radio stations across the north from the BBC's studio in Middlesbrough. The father of one also co-hosted a gardening programme on Sunday mornings alongside Brigid Press. His heartbroken daughter Amy described her father as an 'incredibly modest and generous' man who always found time for 'friends and strangers alike'. BBC Radio Tees presenter Dave Llewellyn has passed away at the age of 57 following a brief illness The much-loved BBC Radio Tees DJ became a household name as the voice of traffic across the region for more than two decades She said: 'Outside of his work, he loved his family and his music. His true talent shone through while he was playing his keyboards, synthesisers and bass,' she said. 'He was the most loving father and husband, always going out of his way to make us happy.  'He will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him, especially our beloved dog Cupid, who always saw a taste of his generosity, usually in the form of a shared sausage sandwich,' she told the Mirror. A familiar face on the local music circuit, the broadcaster had most recently taken on a producer role at BBC Radio Tees - a position he had held for the previous six years - working predominantly on Gary Philipson's daytime show.  His colleague, breakfast presenter Amy Oakden paid a heartfelt tribute to Llewellyn during this morning's broadcast. She said the team would 'never ever forget his iconic voice', adding: 'I always remember Dave because he was just so kind and lovely. He was a legend.' Producer Sarah Robinson, speaking through tears, also honoured her late friend and colleague. She said: 'What do I say about Dave? Worst taste in shirts I have ever seen, he wore terrible shirts, made bad coffee, the worst coffee I had ever tasted in my whole life, but Dave was relentlessly cheerful and positive and never came into the office without having a smile on his face.' Heartbroken listeners also reached out to the programme in significant numbers to share their own tributes to Llewellyn, many expressing shock and sadness at the news, recalling the presenter as 'kind and friendly'. One wrote: 'I'll be thinking about him. Every time you rang in, he was great craic - what a lovely guy.' Bloodrun EVS, a volunteer organisation responsible for transporting blood between hospitals, described Llewellyn as a 'comforting voice to many'. In a tribute, they said: 'Thank you for your service. RIP Dave, our condolences and thoughts are with Dave's family and colleagues at this difficult time.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.