Friends and colleagues have been paying tribute to a broadcaster from North Yorkshire who was known for his endless enthusiasm for life and work.
Dominic Busby, from Harrogate, helped launch Minster FM in York. He worked for a wide range of stations including BBC Radio York, BBC 5Live and Radio 4. Dom, as he was known to his friends. has died after a short illness.
He was just 53-years-old.
His former teacher was Stephen Fry, the actor and comedian. He tweeted this message. “Terribly saddened by the news of Dom Busby’s death. I had the honour of teaching him (and his rascally brothers) many, many years ago. He was as delightful, bubbly, charming and smart then as he was throughout his career.”
“Dom was a great broadcaster and a brilliant man. He loved sport and radio so had the perfect job,” said BBC radio sports news editor Colin Patterson.
“You could hear the excitement in his voice when he was reading the sports news on air. He had a long and successful career at the BBC – 30 years at many of our local radio stations, and for the past 10 of those years he also worked for BBC Sport.
“He will be much missed by his colleagues and listeners to BBC radio. Our thoughts are with his family at this terrible time.”
YorkMix journalist and former Minster FM and Radio York news editor, David Dunning, first worked with Dom at Bootham Row in the late 80s and later hired him to present programmes at BBC Radio Solent in Southampton in 1995.
“He was one of those people that never failed to cheer you up and make you think it was a beautiful day. He would always bounce up to you with a smile and a joke.
“He was always excited to be in a radio station and that warmth and spirit of adventure, along with incredible optimism on behalf of everyone, came across in the shows he presented. He wanted to be successful in his chosen career and he wanted you to be successful too.
“Dominic grew as a broadcaster everytime he went in front of the microphone, always wanting to get better and learn something new. He could also fit in anywhere which is why you’d discover him on breakfast shows in places like Brighton and Blackburn.
“The stream of messages from both commercial and BBC broadcasters, as well as listeners, is something I know he would be very touched by.
“The world would have been a much duller place without Dom there to remind us that the glass is always half full.”