Floyd, who, in February 2007, said: “Food is life, life is food. If you don't like my approach you are welcome to go down to McDonalds” in his personal blog, quickly built up a reputation in the 1980s as a colourful and flamboyant presenter and chef, often know to have a glass of wine in his hand.
Ironically, Floyd, who had been suffering from bowel cancer, diagnosed earlier this year, had returned to his partner Celia Martin’s home in Dorset, having attended a lunch to celebrate being given the all clear just hours earlier.
Marco Pierre White, a fellow celebrity chef and friend of Floyd, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Floyd’s death was “a very, very, very sad day for my industry and secondly for a nation.
“The thing which is very sad is a little piece of Britain today died which will never be replaced. He was a beautiful man. Keith, in my opinion, was an exceptional human being. He had great qualities. His ability to inspire people to cook just with his words and the way he did things was extraordinary,” said Pierre White.
“If you look at TV chefs today they don't have his magic. Keith was intellectual, he was intelligent, and he was articulate - he used words which everybody could understand. He was very special," he added.
Floyd appeared in 23 television series and wrote more than 20 books, many of which went straight into the best-seller lists.
Source: http://www.foodanddrinkdigital.com/British-celebrity-chef-Keith-Floyd-dies_31726.aspx