Ernie Almond: BBC presenter and royal entertainer dies

Tributes have poured in for presenter and entertainer Ernie Almond

Tributes have been paid to a BBC radio presenter after he died on Tuesday following a battle with cancer.

Ernie Almond was born in Batford, near Harpenden, in Hertfordshire and joined BBC Radio Bedfordshire in the 1980s.

Jonathan Vernon-Smith, who presented a radio show with Mr Almond, who was 80, said: "I'll miss him terribly."

Mr Almond also had a long career as a children's entertainer and had hosted childhood parties for Prince William and Prince Harry.

He originally worked for Marconi Instruments in Bedfordshire but left to become one of the founders of Smartie Artie, a company which provided entertainers for parties across the country.

The children's entertainer spoke often of his pride at working at parties for members of the Royal family and Hollywood stars such as Dustin Hoffman and John Cleese.

The presenter (left) was a familiar voice often heard on BBC radio from the 1980s up to 2023

In a recently recorded interview for BBC Three Counties Radio, previously known as BBC Radio Bedfordshire, Mr Almond recalled a joke made by Princess Diana at Prince Harry's seventh birthday party.

During the party he asked three-year-old Princess Beatrice if Cinderella had met a handsome prince at a recent visit to Disney Land, to which Princess Diana quipped "she'd be so lucky."

"Which I hasten to add, Prince Charles was in the room and laughed and enjoyed the joke," he said.

Mr Almond continued entertaining audiences late into his career, appearing in about 40 pantomimes across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Jonathan Vernon-Smith (left) said he "had the pleasure of working with Ernie Almond for many, many years"

Mr Almond first became involved with BBC Three Counties Radio in the 1980s before becoming a regular presenter in the 1990s.

In 2000, alongside Mr Vernon-Smith, he began presenting Ern and Vern, an alternative comedy show on the station.

The two continued to work together across both BBC Three Counties Radio and BBC Radio Northampton on treasure hunt programme: Treasure Quest.

In a statement the presenter said he was honoured "to have had him as a friend for over 30 years."

"He was one of the nicest and most generous people I have ever known and without doubt the reason I work in radio today as he was the first person to open a door for me. I'll miss him terribly."

In addition to radio, the presenter (left) also hosted events for BBC Three Counties Radio, such as this one in 1996

Jason Horton, director of production for BBC Local, described Mr Almond as "one of the most creative and talented broadcasters I have met".

Posting a tribute online he said: "He made everyone who worked with him, listened to him or ever met him, laugh. A gentleman in every sense and incredibly kind."

During the past six years Mr Almond was a presenter on Black Cat Radio, a community station based in St Neots, Cambridgeshire.

The station said he had been passionate about "making great radio and touching the lives of those he broadcasted to."