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Heart attack kills TV chef Keith Floyd, aged 65
Ross Lydall15.09.09
Keith Floyd died from a heart attack after dining on champagne, oysters and partridge at a 65th birthday lunch for his partner.
The TV chef, as famous for his love of wine as his cooking, fell ill last night as he and Celia Martin waited to watch a Channel 4 documentary about his life.
Mrs Martin was given life-saving instructions by a 999 operator as she tried to save him as he lay unconscious on her sofa in Bridport, Dorset.
Earlier the paid had a £120 meal for two at the Hix Oyster and Fish House in Lyme Regis, run by fellow ceelbrity chef Mark Hix.
Floyd had a “Hix Fix” champagne cocktail with a cherry soaked in apple eau de vie, oysters with potted shrimp, patridge with bread sauce - he ordered grouse but was served partidge by mistake - and perry jelly for dessert. He drank a glass of £49-a-bottle Pouilly Vinzelles 2006 Burgundy and a two glasses of Nature Perrin and Fils Cotes de Rhone 2007 red.
But he turned down a last drink because he had visited his doctor earlier in the day, who had advised him to “slow down” and steer clear of booze.
Mrs Martin said that Floyd, who had been unwell for some years and had been undergoing treatment for bowel cancer, told her he had not felt as well for ages. He had seen a cancer specialist earlier in the day and was hopeful of beating the disease, she said.
She said today: “When we got home he had a siesta and got up feeling a bit headachy. We had both eaten a lot so I put it down to that.
“He laid down on the sofa and I thought he went to sleep. Then suddenly his breathing became erratic. I phoned for an ambulance and the operator gave me instructions on how to help him.
“He didn't say anything at all. The ambulance people were here for about an hour. They thought there was a chance they could save him.
“It was so bizarre, we were sitting down to watch the documentary at 10pm but by that time he had died.”
He had written at least 25 books and presented 23 TV series, such as Floyd on Food, for the BBC and latterly Channel 5. Often shot on location, these showcased his flamboyant style, typically with a glass in hand as he cooked, and his love of foreign cuisine and travel.
Fellow chef Marco Pierre White said Floyd had inspired the nation. He said: “If you look at TV chefs today they don't have his magic. It's a very, very, very sad day for my industry and secondly for a nation.”
Antony Worrall Thompson said: “I think all of us modern TV chefs owe a living to him. He spawned us all.”
Floyd was educated at Wellington School in Somerset. He became a journalist — he bought his first bow tie for a job interview on the Bristol Evening Post — then an army officer, enrolling after seeing the film Zulu. He left the army after a nervous breakdown.
He became a restaurateur in the early Seventies, opening numerous eateries first in Bristol and then in France. Latterly he opened a restaurant in the Thai resort of Phuket.
However, many of his restaurants had financial problems, forcing their sale, and helping to wreck his personal life. “A restaurant is like a mistress, forever demanding,” he wrote in his autobiography. “It's remarkable how often my marriages and my restaurants seem to go down the pan at approximately the same time.”
His first taste of fame was as a radio chef in Bristol, which led to the BBC offering him a TV show. Many series followed in the Eighties and Nineties.
His four marriages all ended in divorce and he was declared bankrupt in 1996 and again in 2001. He suffered a small stroke in 2002, and was banned from the road in 2004 after being convicted of drink driving.
Floyd warned in his memoirs: “Don't ever go into the restaurant business. It kills marriages, it kills relationships, and it kills life. It kills everything. And I, the man with four ex-wives, should know.”
Video: Keith Floyd's TV highlights
He admitted to feeling guilty every day about how his lifestyle had affected his children Patrick and Poppy.
The Channel 4 documentary showed him meeting his daughter Poppy, 25, this summer for the first time in a decade.
Poppy and his son Patrick, who was born to his first wife Jesmond, had visited his bedside last year when he was gravely ill but Floyd had been virtually unable to communcicate.
Floyd recalled: “I was laying on a life-support machine and she held my hand. I think she said, Please don't drink any more. On the other side, so I was told later, my son had been sleeping on the floor for two days - the two people who helped me make it through the night.”
Asked by comedian keith Allen, who was presenting the documentary, why he drank, Floyd said: “I was lonely... just to anaethastise myself. When I go in front of a TV camera I do have to perform, and after that performance there is nothing.”
Jonathan Jeffery, who works for Mark Hix and cooked Mr Floyd his last meal, said: “His programmes were what got me into cooking - he was a legend and he was a big time influence on so many people.
“He seemed in good health and was in good spirits and was chatting to the customers. He looked quite old, but other than that seemed fine.
“The last thing he said to me before he left was “Don't watch Channel 4 at 10 o' clock tonight”, because he was in a programme. I didn't watch it.”
Reader views (38)
yes, i remeber him well in the red square on tv cooking and enjoying the show...tarnia [my newly wed wife ]later in my career bought one of his books " floyd in france"which i do not take to the kitchen on hearing him [ floyd ]had died and now in the main kitchen [heaven]we then argued that he was the first tv chef
now gonna see if i can find all his works and tapes to share in next 25 years in the kitchens
just add salt.....
pall
" still in the kitchen"
" still cooking on gas "
- Paul Patric Peter Aspeling, cape town ,camps bay -south africa
He died the way I would like to die, eating, drinking enjoying life. He must have had italian ancestors!
- Mario Laurenza, London UK
I refer to last night’s tv programme. Channel Four, Victor Lewis Smith and Keith Allen should be ashamed of themselves. And I say that without reference to and regardless of Keith Floyd’s sad demise. How disrespectful, cheap and lazy can a tv programme be? Well, it seems Channel Four have told us. To abuse an individual by taking advantage of his frailty and weakness in such a way was disgusting. The appalling language and so called realité of the interviews could have been edited with kindness and not crudeness. Keith Floyd was served up as an old and unpleasant drunk; he was much much more than that. I do hope Keith Allen has enough wit to wake up one day soon and realise how much he damaged his hero but I doubt it. Where there is no sense there is no feeling. He should stick to being a second rate actor. He is as pretentious and stupid as his daughter.
- Andrew, london
Cheers to you Keith for many entertaining hours of fun shows...not sure it they were cooking shows...but you sure seemed to have fun in them. You will be missed.
- Harry, Ontario, Canada
An absolute gem of a man and a true Chef and lover of life and all things fabulous. Thanks for the memories Keith! I'll have a glass for you tonight!
- Clea, Christchurch, NZ
Way to go Keith. Huge respect from me and many thanks for years of entertainment.
Sympathies to family.
JC London, very clever!
- Roger, Surrey
He was a first class pratt, but an incredibly telegenic, first class pratt. The camera loved him and vice versa. When I see those tv chefs like Brian Turner and AWT, busting a gut for the cameras and failing miserably and watching Floyd succeeding so effortlessly it makes me realise there really is a thing called the Xfactor. That unquantifiable quality that few have but most wish for. RIP you rascal . and have a large glass of red for me up there.
- Knowitall, london
RIP Mr Keith Floyd, Top Chef, Wit, Icon
- Karim Bakare, Lagos Nigeria
True to himself he enjoyed himself doing what he loved! My favorite chef. So glad he missed out on the misery of an NHS Oncology ward .. I've been there and its something I am still dealing with after 4 years having lost my lovely Marion to cancer. God Bless. RIP.
- James Macleod Ritchie, Oyster Bay Cove
Keith Floyd was for me, the man that made cookery programmes, and cooking, interesting to me through his casual free style of cooking. -The most interesting and endearing of men. -Far, far more than just a 'celebrity cook'. r. i. p.
- Huggy, Cumbernauld Scotland
Tonight will be cooking fillet of beef with a choclate garlic and red wine sauce classic keith floyd and having a good slurp
- Baron Peter Dixon, Stamford lincs
Such an erudite and sensitive man. What a loss. The sound of his voice is amongst the few that I can remember just by the mention of his name. I won't be forgetting him, for sure.
- Nora, London, UK
"died from a heart attack after dining on champagne, oysters and partridge..."
What a way to go!
Keith Floyd - R.I.P.
- Haskey, London SE1
Very sad news ...... But look at the fun he gave us and the legacy he leaves. Floyd on Fish and Floyd on France are two of the finest cookery/food/travel series you will ever be lucky enough to enjoy and he has set the standards that everyone following strives with varying degrees of success to emulate. We should raise a glass to him with a smile and a light garnish of sadness..
- Adrian, London
a real character, the sort of person you would want a dinner party ...to both help prepare and entertain...
RIP
- Martin_Clerkenwell, london
What a pity! Keith was the englishman... that taught me ... an indian... to cook decent indian
RIP Keith...
- Sanjay, Hounslow, UK
A true scholar and gentleman. Probably one of the greatest TV chefs. The likes of Stein and Ramsay are insignificant in comparision. RIP.
- Michael, London
He was an excellent chef and gent. Imagine what he would have been without the booze and gambling.
RIP Mr. Floyd and all the best to your family.
- Amazonmothe, hasting
Keith Floyd was a gastronomic legend, I would have loved to have watched the documentary last night but I'd rather poke my eyes out with a fork than ever have to watch/listen to a member of the Allen family. RIP Keith, you'll be missed.
- Bob, Cheam
a chefs chef..god bless ya
- Rsaviour, lonodn england
One of the true eccentrics, a bloody excellent communicator and a great chef. RIP Keith, you will be missed by millions.
- Ian, Cambridge
Patrick Swayze/ Keith Floyd RIP.
They had they time/ thyme of their life.
- Jc, London
Sorry to hear, Keith has passed on, happened too soon really, but on the other hand he enjoyed the best of his life, and he amused and entertained the great British public, for years. He'll leave a gap.
- Baz Bazzan, London UK
Sad to hear this, he was an inspirational cook above all else.
- Flo, London, UK
Why the stupid judgements?? He died and you will die too, one way or the other. Can't you just appreciate his work? Enjoy his shows? His wit? At least he had a ball and lived life......and you?
- John Paul, Lisbon, Portugal
A bright light has gone out, leaving the lesser lights struggling to entertain us, educate us,irritate us,make us laugh and cry. Thank you Keith for many happy hours in front of the box. God Bless you.
- John Stephens, Staines UK
Alcoholism is a real killer - yet socially acceptable. It ruins lives, here's the evidence.
- Ian, winchester
Interesting... there was a documentary about him shown just last night !
God Bless him...but a lesson again in laying off the booze..if you saw the documentary.
- Jason Stone, Stratford, Newham
So Sad. He was a breath of fresh air. Great cooking / history /story telling..
Hope they release all his shows on dvd as a tribute.
- Joanna, london england
I grew up watching Keith Floyd's Tv programmes and I can still watch them time and time again. He was a great entertainer, hugely amusing and will be sadly missed.
- Chris J, London
What a shame. Sometimes he irritated, sometimes he entertained, but you can't take away the fact that he was an eccentric, and the world needs more eccentrics.
- George, London
keith floyd was a true legend,he was an insperation 2 me when it came 2 food and i have cooked many of his dishes i saw him last ngt with keith allen i will be having a slurp for you 2day keith thanks
- Baron Peter Dixon, stamford lincs
I loved watching his food shows in the 80's he always loved a drink. RIP Keith x
- Heidi, Oxford
Very amusing and entertaining man. Watched "Keith Meets Keith" last night and was reminded of his surly wit. May he rest in peace.
- Dannyp, Egham
I watched Keith Allen's documentary on Keith Floyd last night. Keith F was a great guy who gave us all a great deal of entertainment and knowledge.
- Mark P, London
Keith Floyd, truly the last of a dying breed, bon vivieur, bon vivant, a great British eccentric that will be much missed and will be impossible to replace RIP
- Jean Gibson, England, Essex
Interesting... there was a documentary about him shown just last night !
God Bless him...but a lesson again in laying off the booze..if you saw the documentary.
- Jason Stone, Stratford, Newham
What a shame. His Television shows always portrayed him as a fun loving man and someone who enthusiastically enjoyed his wine and food. He certainly entertained me in a manner that was not vulgar, swearing nor offensive when his cooking went badly. He blamed himself and just took another glass of wine. Good for him. A true gentleman who will me missed and remembered as a Great British eccentric.
- R F Beaver, Northallerton
