Tributes of radio journalist Kevin Gover of Dorchester

Kevin Gover, formerly of Dorchester, passed away aged 64 at Flowerdown Care Home in Winchester, after a short illness.

He leaves his wife Dilyara and his daughter Rachel, known as Rae, who lives in Canada.

Kevin started in radio in the 1980s with a daily show on a radio station in Brussels before heading back to the UK to work in Hampshire and then Wessex FM in Dorset.

Rae said community meant everything to her father, and radio was his pathway to connect people together.

“He will be sorely missed by us all,” she said.

“He told me ‘No tears,’ the day he told me of his terminal diagnosis. He said to me ‘We had a really good time together, didn’t we?’

“If dad wasn’t behind the microphone, he was watching the boys at Bath rugby play, drinking a cider or Earl Grey tea, or enjoying long walks along his favourite beach - Lyme Regis. We would always skim the rocks there.

“I’m so glad to have kept our small box of fossils we had collected many years ago.

Kevin and his daughter Rae (Image: Supplied) “Whether it be watching the funny man (Basil Fawlty), collecting conkers, quoting Vicar of Dibley - “Oh sorry, wrong church!”, quoting Love Actually - “8 is a lot of legs, David”, rocking out to Fleetwood Mac, feeling eternally stressed about my grammar, or trying to perfect my Sunday roast potatoes - I will always remember him. I know he will guide me always.”

Kevin and his daughter Rae (Image: Supplied)

Former Wessex FM news editor Kevin helped the station grow its audience to make it one of the top three independent stations in the UK by audience.

John Baker, former MD of the station, said: “As well as leading the news team/reading news at breakfast, he was a fine radio presenter with a real love and knowledge of all types of music.

“He helped the station to win three national radio awards. Kevin was a great trainer of young news journalists, many of whom are still on air on radio and TV.

“We had remained great friends over the years after Wessex."

Kevin went on to teach radio journalism, wrote an academic book on the subject and wrote and read the news on Sky radio news.

Mr Baker added: “He was a dedicated, talented and amazingly hard working person. We won’t see his like again.”

Kevin Gover (Image: Supplied)

Phil Stocks, who worked with Kevin on the Wessex FM Breakfast Show, said: “Kevin was passionate about radio, the music we played and especially the news we covered.

“Remaining calm under pressure when big stories broke, he kept us all focused on what really mattered and what was important to our listeners.

“When the Queen Mother’s death was announced he diligently worked that night gathering condolences and reading bulletins conveying local, national and international reaction.

“I was proud to call him a friend.”

Kevin died on September 24. His funeral will be held in Winchester on Thursday, October 24. The family requests no flowers please, but donations to Winchester Hospice.