Tributes to ‘legend’ Rea

COMEDIAN Bob Mortimer has paid tribute to singer Chris Rea following his death at the age of 74, describing his friend as a Middlesbrough-born “legend”.

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The musician, whose hits include the festive song Driving Home For Christmas, had dealt with ill health for years and suffered a stroke in 2016.

He died in hospital on Monday, three days before Christmas, following a short illness, a spokesperson for his family said.

Mortimer, 66, who is also from Middlesbrough, had known Rea for years and recorded the song Let’s Dance with him for Middlesbrough Football Club's FA Cup final in 1997.

During one of Mortimer's appearances on BBC panel show Would I Lie To You? Mortimer claimed Rea put an egg into a bath for him after they finished recording the song at his studio.