Susanna Reid paid tribute to the late Shane Warne on today’s Good Morning Britain, revealing he was ‘a great friend’ to her former co-star Piers Morgan.
The Australian cricketer died of a heart attack aged 52 on Friday, with many, including his former fiancee Elizabeth Hurley, sharing their deepest condolences.
‘We just want to pay tribute to Shane Warne this morning,’ Susanna said. ‘He’s been a guest on this programme a number of times.
‘Obviously, an absolutely legendary cricketer, the spin king, an enormous character and a relentless drive to win whatever he was doing.’
She continued: ‘He was a great friend of Piers and I know that it is an enormous shock to everybody. We’re sending love to his family and his friends this morning.’
It was confirmed on Sunday that Warne’s family have accepted the offer of a public funeral state funeral for the sporting star.
Australian MP Daniel Andrews, the Premier of Victoria, said on social media that the occasion would be an opportunity for the country to honour Warne.
‘I’ve spoken with the Warne family again today and they have accepted my offer of a State Funeral to remember Shane,’ Andrews posted on Twitter.
‘It will be an opportunity for Victorians to pay tribute to his contribution to his sport, to our state and the country. Details will be finalised in the coming days.’
Tributes have flooded in from across the world following the shock death of one of sport’s most charismatic and loved figures.
Fans have continued to lay floral tributes at the Melbourne Cricket Ground’s Shane Warne statue, while the stadium’s Great Southern Stand will be renamed the SK Warne Stand in the spin king’s honour.
Warne shot to global fame with the ‘ball of the century’ to bamboozle and dismiss Mike Gatting in the 1993 Ashes series against England.
He went on to claim 708 Test wickets, the second-highest haul in history, in a 15-year career spanning 145 matches.
The bullish spinner also racked up 293 one-day international wickets, helping Australia win the 1999 World Cup.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.
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