BBC Breakfast’s Bill Turnbull said a final goodbye to viewers yesterday morning as he prepared for a life of beekeeping in Suffolk.

The 60-year-old left after 15 years on the famous red sofa to spend more time with his family and friends and devote more time to his unusual hobby of beekeeping.

Closing Friday’s programme, Turnbull said: “I’ve always believed it’s a privilege to broadcast anywhere on the airwaves; to present this programme, though, has been a special honour.

“I’ve had a wonderful time with my colleagues who’ve had a lot to put up with over the years. Above all, though, thank-you for letting me into your home in the morning, whether it’s in the kitchen, or the living room, or, as I’m often told, the bedroom.

“Whether you’ve been with us for the past 15 years or just this morning, I hope you’ve found it worthwhile. It certainly has been for me.” When his departure from the breakfast show was announced in September last year, he told several newspapers about his plans for 2016.

They included spending more time with his wife, Sarah McCombie, moving from their current home in Rainow, Cheshire, to be closer to family and friends in Suffolk, and being reunited with his beloved bees.

The father-of-three said: “I have been neglecting my bees for far too long. They are on a farm, they were going to come up here to the Lakes where we live, but it was too windy.

“They are down in Buckinghamshire, I don’t see them very often, but they don’t seem to mind!

“I haven’t been able to keep chickens for a few years, so all these things will take up time.

“We are going to move to Suffolk with a bit of luck. It is where we have got family and friends, we have got to know Suffolk quite well in the last year and we like it so we are planning to move there.”

Celebrity fans including David Cameron, Frank Skinner and Miranda Hart sent farewell video messages to the presenter yesterday morning.

Actor James Corden sent a message from LA, joking: “Bill, you beautiful specimen of a man.

“For so much of my life, you were my morning glory and I will miss waking up with you every day, but you’re still going to be there when I fall asleep.”