BBC presenter and children’s author Nick Sheridan dies aged 32
BBC Scotland presenter and author Nick Sheridan, who died at age 32, was remembered by colleagues as the “very best”, “warm, witty, clever” and a “lovely man” (Instagram/Nick Sheridan)
Tributes have poured in for BBC Scotland presenter, journalist and children’s author Nick Sheridan, who has died following a short illness.
Confirming his death on Thursday (7 March), Gary Smith, BBC Scotland’s head of news, described Sheridan, 32, as a “funny, clever, kind and lovely man”.
“He was a hugely talented journalist, presenter and author – and one of those rare people who light up the lives of everyone around them,” Smith said.
“Our hearts go out to his parents, who have been with him over the past 10 days, to his partner Lewis and to all the rest of his family and friends.”
At the time of his death, Sheridan was a freelance presenter on BBC Scotland’s radio and TV news programme. He had previously left his staff role at the broadcaster to work on writing children’s books.
Originally from Wexford in Ireland, Sheridan worked as a researcher, camera journalist, correspondent and presenter with BBC Scotland. Before that, he worked with RTE and STV.
Nick Sheridan said he’d ‘never been happier’ after coming out at 16
Outside work, Nick Sheridan posted on social media about his personal life. He wrote that he’d “never been happier” since coming out at 16, and urged LGBTQ+ people to speak out about their mental health if it would help them.
Scotland’s first minister, Humza Yousaf, paid tribute during his weekly question session at Holyrood, describing Sheridan as an extremely talented journalist and author.
“Many of us in this chamber will have been questioned by Nick – quite robustly, no doubt – whether it was on BBC Drivetime or on many of the other programmes that he presented,” Yousaf said.
“My thoughts are with his family, his many friends and his colleagues. It will undoubtedly be a very sad time for them.”
Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon felt “so terribly sad” to learn of Sheridan’s death, she wrote on X/Twitter.
“It is truly awful,” she said. “Nick was young, talented, vivacious and full of potential. What a horrible, senseless loss.”
BBC Scotland journalist Fiona Stalker described Sheridan as the “very best”, sharing several pictures of the pair during their time working together. “He was so very loved. I am so thankful for every minute with him,” she said.
Fellow BBC Scotland journalist Martin Geissler, said his colleague was “the best of us” because he was “better than anyone at everything”.
Writing on X, Geissler added: “A brilliant presenter, reporter, cameraman, author, singer, pianist and so much more, and all of that without an ounce of arrogance. Warm, witty, clever and kind. Loved by everyone who met him.”
And STV quoted weather presenter Philip Petrie saying: “There were countless early Good Morning Britain shifts he and I shared, where he would keep the weary team amused with stories, pranks and even some renditions of Disney classics.”
