ITV weather presenter Wincey Willis has passed away at the age of 76 after being diagnosed with dementia.

The channel’s first national female forecaster died on December 18 2024, with the news being made public on Wednesday.

In a tribute shared to Instagram, screenwriter Russell T Davies wrote: ‘That’s a sad loss! I mentioned Wincey in the dialogue of Queer As Folk 2, and she hunted me down!

‘She got hold of my email address just to tell me how delighted she was to be mentioned! She was absolutely hilarious and full of joy, what a lovely woman.

‘We corresponded for years, having a wonderful laugh, she was a hoot. And what a great career! Adored her. Well done, Wincey, night darling.’

Born Florence Winsome Leighton, she was given the nickname Wincey, after the nursery rhyme when she started school.

ITV weather presenter Wincey Willis has passed away at the age of 76 after being diagnosed with dementia (pictured in 2015)

The channel’s first national female forecaster, she died on December 18 2024, with the news being made public on Wednesday

Famous for her magnificent blonde hair, Willis was already a minor star when she took on the forecasting role and had presented her own show, Wincey’s Pets, in 1982.

She had joined ITV’s national programme from Tyne Tees Television, where she had been a forecaster despite admitting that she was not a specialist.

Wincey became known for her colourful jumpers, mullet hairstyle and bubbly personality.

In 1985, she starred on Treasure Hunt alongside Anneka Rice and devised a board game called The Weather Game.

Wincey then left full-time TV in 1987 and spent years devoted to wildlife conservation.

She went on to star in pantomime and also wrote three books, It’s Raining Cats and Dogs (1986) and Greendays (1990).

At one point she lived in a tent in Greece for six months while guarding a turtle population.

She did return to screens as a wildlife presenter in 1993 but subsequent TV appearances have been few and far between.

Wincey pictured with Jeremy Beadle and presenter Anne Diamond on TV-am in 1983

Wincey then left full-time TV in 1987 and spent years devoted to wildlife conservation (pictured in 2001)