Tributes paid to BBC presenter Lisa Shawpublished at 11:27 British Summer Time 24 May 2021
BBC Newcastle
BBC Radio Newcastle
Tributes have been pouring into BBC Newcastle following the death of presenter Lisa Shaw at the age of 44.
Lisa, who worked at radio stations across the North East for almost 25 years, died in hospital on Friday following a short illness.
Lisa's family said she was "the best wife and mammy, sister, daughter, aunty, friend and colleague that anyone could hope for" and there is a "Lisa-shaped hole in their lives that will never be filled".
BBC Radio Tees presenter Gary Philipson presented the Century breakfast show with Lisa for many years.
He said: "It's just heart breaking and my thoughts are for her family. The most underrated, underestimated presenter in British radio for me, I knew straight away what a talent she is. I owe so much to her."
Gary and Lisa worked together for about 15 years and were good friends.
"There's a little saying and I'll carry this for the rest of my days, it's a Dr Seuss saying 'don't cry because you've lost, smile because it happened',".
Giles Squire, who met Lisa at the start of her career, said she stood out and he was "struck by how professional she was".
He gave Lisa her first job at Metro Radio and recalled how "she had a warmth, a rapport with people, she touched people".
"There was no act with Lisa, what you saw was what you got and what you got was something very special."
Ivan Hollingworth, who has raised thousands of pounds for the Children's Heart Unit at the Freeman - which saved the life of his son Seb, said: "Lisa was amazing, she made you feel at ease, like you were the most important person in the room and she became a friend."
