Chris Rea fans have been reduced to tears after the BBC paid tribute to the late singer live on air on Tuesday following his death.

The star, who is behind one of the most iconic Christmas songs, Driving Home For Christmas, died aged 74 on Monday following a short illness.

His legendary track was the opening song to a pre-recorded festive addition of Animal Park with Ben Fogle and Kate Humble on BBC One.

With this in mind, BBC bosses aired a short tribute to mark Chris’ passing before the episode began to play.

Continuity announcer Duncan Newmarch said just before the titles: ‘First on BBC One, Chris Rea, is very much on our minds this morning.’

He later took to X, formerly Twitter, writing: ‘When I discovered that this morning’s edition of Animal Park on started with Driving Home for Christmas, I wanted to say something.’

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Chris Rea fans have been reduced to tears after the BBC paid tribute to the late singer live on air on Tuesday following his death

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The corporation’s continuity announcer said just before Animal Park where his song was the opening track: ‘First on BBC One, Chris Rea, is very much on our minds this morning’

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The star, who is behind one of the most iconic Christmas songs, Driving Home For Christmas, died aged 74 on Monday following a short illness

Viewers were reduced to tears with one commenting: ‘Oh that made me cry. Very touching.’

‘Very suitable and appropriate.’

‘That’s such a clever, beautiful 11 seconds. Bravo.’

‘What a wonderful tribute.’

Announcing his death on Monday, his wife Joan and their daughters Josie and Julia, released a statement which read: ‘It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Chris.

‘He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family.’

The iconic song Driving Home for Christmas has made a reappearance on the UK Singles Chart every year since 2007, including making number 10 in 2021.

Middlesbrough-born Chris, who met Joan when he was just 16, had been dogged with serious health issues including peritonitis, pancreatic cancer and diabetes. In 2017, it was revealed he needed to inject insulin seven times a day.

Chris’ final social media post featured a car on a snowy motorway with a road sign reading: ‘Driving home for Christmas with a thousand memories.’

In the post, shared on Sunday, he added a caption reading: ‘Top to toe in tailbacks If it’s a white Christmas, let’s hope the journey’s a smooth one.’

Join the debate

What personal memories does “Driving Home for Christmas” evoke for you during the festive season?

Teary fans praised the on air tribute by the BBC

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Announcing his death on Monday, his wife Joan and their daughters Josie and Julia, released a statement (pictured in 2016)

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Chris’ final social media post featured a car on a snowy motorway with a road sign reading: ‘Driving home for Christmas with a thousand memories’

Chris suffered a major health scare during his career when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the age of 33.

He had part of his pancreas removed along with his gall bladder and part of his liver, but went on to make a recovery and lived with diabetes as well as kidney problems.

He also suffered a stroke in 2016 but he recovered and went on to release two more albums Road Songs For Lovers in 2017 and One Fine Day in 2019.

Chris previously revealed: ‘I’ve had nine major operations in ten years. A lot of it is to do with something called retroperitoneal fibrosis, where the internal tissues attack each other. No one knew it existed 20 years ago, and it’s completely unpredictable..

‘It’s affected the colon, the pancreas, the gall bladder, the liver – and then I get a stroke.’

Speaking of his successes and impact on his health, he said: ‘I made a lot of money, but you can dangerously let it lead you on…

‘It depends what company you keep. I once said to Michael Winner, “I’m the poorest man on this Barbados beach.” On days like today, the richest man in the world is the one who hasn’t got a bad shoulder.’

Chris previously shed light on writing the iconic tune, as he previously told Bob Mortimer: ‘I was on the dole when I wrote [Driving Home For Christmas]. My manager had just left me. I’d just been banned from driving.

‘My now wife, Joan, had to drive down to London to pick me up in the Mini and take me home, and that’s when I wrote it.’