TV PRESENTER and musician Roy Castle died, after a long battle with cancer on 2nd September. Roy Castle was born in Yorkshire, the only son of a hairdressing mother and insurance agent father. At six Roy started piano lessons and at eight tap dancing lessons. He taught himself to play trumpet while doing his two years National Service. His career as a comedian, singer, dancer and musician began to take off and in 1958 he was chosen for the Royal Variety Show. A popular TV series 'Castle's On The Air' followed. Roy's most successful ever project, was presenting the long running TV series 'Record Breakers' which made Roy into a national media personality known and loved by millions.

His strong Christian faith made Roy, and his wife since 1963 Fiona, popular figures at Christian events such as Spring Harvest. Roy's highly publicised battle with cancer, contracted through passive smoking during his years playing in nightclubs, was treated with chemotherapy which left the star bald, but never dampened Roy's faith and effervescent personality. Right up to his death the star was campaigning for numerous causes. A few months before his death, Roy recorded a praise and worship album with his son Ben for Kingsway Music. The album 'Ben And Roy's Big Celebration' is currently in Britain's Christian music charts. As well as wife Fiona and son Ben, Roy leaves behind daughters Julia and Antonia and son Daniel.