BBC Breakfast presenter Sally Nugent shared her condolences as one star of the morning programme sadly died. Branding him the “kindest, loveliest man”, Sally took to her Instagram story to share a photograph in tribute to Geoff Burrow, father of Rob Burrow, who was a major campaigner for motor neurone disease research.

Now Sally has paid tribute to Geoff, sharing a snap of him alongside his wife Ireneas the pair accepted a Royal Television Society award on Rob’s behalf.

Geoff had appeared on BBC Breakfast after Rob’s death, telling hosts Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt how “emotional” it was to see the Super League Grand Final man of the match trophy renamed after his son in 2024.

Sally was also close to Geoff’s son Rob, working with him on various documentaries, and paying tribute to him on BBC Breakfast.

She said of the 41-year-old: “He was incredibly brave, frightened of nobody, these huge big intimidating men, miles taller than him, he didn’t care. He knew he could beat them.”

Sally said: “In lots of ways he didn’t give up on that future. He was diagnosed and then very quickly, we went into lockdown. He wanted to make more memories with the kids and he wasn’t really able to do that.

“But they did in their own way. They fought against it in a way.

“He wanted the children to still have their dad, to remember him. And you have to remember at this point, he was fighting for every single day. And he was changing what people thought about MND along the way.”