Rod Liddle, the writer and broadcaster widely regarded as a titan of Fleet Street, has died at the age of 66. He passed away in a hospital in Middlesbrough on Sunday evening following a short illness.

Liddle was best known for his long-running columns in The Sunday Times, The Spectator — Britain's oldest continuously published magazine — and The Sun. He previously served as editor of BBC Radio 4's Today programme, one of the most influential news broadcasts in British public life, and more recently hosted a Saturday show on Times Radio, the speech-based station launched by News UK in 2020. Over a career spanning several decades across print and broadcast media, his writing was celebrated for its thought-provoking, effervescent, and frequently controversial style, combining sharp humour with a willingness to challenge conventional opinion.

In a statement, his three children — Wilder, Tyler, and Emmy — paid tribute to their father:

"We're all very saddened and shocked at the sudden passing of our wonderful father. He raised us much as you might imagine, to be inquisitive, brave and always humorous. Even in hospital in the last few weeks, he consistently held the room and never let the awful situation show. He has left a legacy that we are all incredibly proud of, he will always be our guide on how to live an extraordinary life."

Tributes from colleagues

News UK executive Rebekah Brooks said staff at newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch were "deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden death of Rod Liddle."

"Rod was an inimitable journalistic force, brilliant, provocative and immensely talented, whose sharp wit and uncompromising voice graced our pages and airwaves for decades," Brooks said. "Whether writing for The Sunday Times and The Sun or broadcasting on Times Radio, he challenged conventional thinking and left an indelible mark on British journalism. Rod will be greatly missed by all his friends and colleagues at News, as well as by his many readers, listeners and viewers."

Ben Taylor, editor of The Sunday Times, said: "Rod Liddle had a wonderful way with words and used his unique talent to speak for the readers, highlighting the cant and absurdity that bedevils modern life. He was also supremely entertaining, and for years his column was the first that many turned to every Sunday. We will miss him desperately."

Victoria Newton, editor-in-chief of The Sun, described Liddle as "a brilliant, fearless columnist who was much loved by all at The Sun."

"A champion of press freedom, no topic was off-limits, and his writing — as funny as it was excoriating — was simply exceptional," Newton said. "A terrific observer of the frailties of our political class, he will be remembered for his razor sharp wit and for his huge intellect."