BBC Scotland presenter Nick Sheridan dies after short illness

BBC Scotland presenter Nick Sheridan has died after a short illness.

His death at the age of 32 was announced by the BBC on Thursday morning.

He had presented programmes including Reporting Scotland, Drivetime, the Nine and Seven Days since joining the corporation in 2018.

BBC Scotland head of news Gary Smith said Nick had been a "wonderful colleague to those of us who have worked with him".

He added: "He was a hugely talented journalist, presenter and author - and one of those rare people who light up the lives of everyone around them. Funny, clever, kind. A lovely man.

"Our hearts go out to his parents, who have been with him over the past ten days, to his partner, Lewis, and to all the rest of his family and friends."

First Minister Humza Yousaf paid tribute to Sheridan as he started his weekly question session in the Scottish Parliament chamber, describing him as an "extremely talented journalist and author".

Mr Yousaf added: "He will be greatly missed. 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.

"My thoughts are with his family, his many friends and indeed his colleagues. It will undoubtedly be a very sad time for them."

Originally from Wexford in Ireland, Sheridan had worked in broadcasting for more than a decade.

He had previously spent two years reporting and presenting RTE News2day, the young person's news programme for Ireland's national broadcaster, before moving to the main newsroom where he worked on the foreign affairs desk.

He joined BBC Scotland as a researcher, before becoming in turn a camera journalist, correspondent and presenter.

He left his staff post to focus on writing children's books, but continued as a regular freelance presenter on BBC Scotland's radio and TV news programmes.