A death notice said Mr Warmington died peacefully in hospital
The late Charlie Warmington (75)
Tributes have been paid following the death of former News Letter columnist and BBC Northern Ireland editor Charlie Warmington.
A death notice for Mr Warmington (75) said he died peacefully in hospital.
Mr Warmington had a distinguished career as a radio producer with BBC NI and also worked as an editor and writer.
Throughout the 1980s he built up an impressive comedy portfolio, including the long-running radio and theatre satire Northern Lights (1984) and Perforated Ulster (1988), co-written and performed by the Hole in the Wall Gang.
BBC broadcaster Ralph McLean said Mr Warmington gave him his first break in TV.
“I worked with him extensively for many years both in telly and radio,” he posted on social media.
“Charlie was one of the good guys. He instinctively knew what made a great programme. He’d a wicked sense of humour and an easy going charm that endeared him to everyone he met on his travels.
“He was a great old school BBC manager who trusted people to do their jobs, a fine writer and, I have to say, always a proud wearer of double demin!
“Most importantly for callow faced youths with a massive musical obsession like me, he was willing to take a chance on young talent.
“Thanks for that Charlie and for all the joy you brought to our cultural landscape down the decades. Go easy mate.”
The late Charlie Warmington (75)
News Catch Up – Monday 24 November
BBC producer Marie-Louise Kerr said Mr Warmington was the reason she works in radio.
“In 1992 he was the station manager at BBC Radio Foyle. I was working with a Derry-based arts festival IMPACT 92 and went to see him to see if Radio Foyle would cover any of the performers coming to the city,” she posted online.
“Charlie said something along the lines of would I be interested in recording some myself? I hadn’t, but said yes! I left that day with a mic, headphones and a reel to reel tape machine.
“When the festival ended I began a freelance career in radio, became an arts broadcaster and made lifelong friends. Go easy Charlie and thank you.”