The entertainment world is in mourning following the death of singer-songwriter Chris Rea, best known for the perennial festive classic Driving Home For Christmas. The musician passed away on Monday at the age of 74 after a short illness, his family confirmed.
A Heartfelt Tribute from a Fellow Legend
Leading the tributes was comedian and fellow Middlesbrough native Bob Mortimer, 66, who shared a touching message on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. Mortimer posted a now-iconic photo of Rea in a bath, holding an egg, as he fondly recalled their legendary 'egg in a bath' story, much to the delight of fans.
'So so sad. A lovely brilliant funny giant of a bloke. Oh Man….RIP Chris .. Boro legend forever. Love to family and friends,' Mortimer wrote. The pair had been friends for years, with Rea making his final television appearance on Mortimer's show, Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, in 2020.
The Story That Captured a Friendship
The bizarre 'egg in a bath' anecdote became famous when Mortimer recounted it on the BBC panel show Would I Lie To You? According to the comedian, the incident occurred after they finished recording the song Let's Dance for Middlesbrough Football Club's 1997 FA Cup final at Rea's studio. In a moment of surreal humour, Rea allegedly placed an egg into a bath for Mortimer.
Fans flooded Mortimer's tribute post with memories of the story, with one writing: 'The Chris Rea ‘Eggs in the bath’ story on WILTY will go down as one of the best.' Another added: 'Wonderful tribute - a piece of comedy that will live forever.'
A Life of Music and Resilience
Chris Rea's career was marked by incredible musical success and profound personal resilience. His track Driving Home For Christmas has re-entered the UK Singles Chart every year since 2007, becoming a staple of the holiday season. Behind the scenes, he faced numerous serious health battles with defiance.
Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at just 33, Rea underwent surgery to remove part of his pancreas, his gall bladder, and part of his liver. He later lived with diabetes and kidney problems, suffered a stroke in 2016, and was rushed to hospital after collapsing on stage in Oxford in 2017. Despite this, he continued to create music, releasing albums Road Songs For Lovers in 2017 and One Fine Day in 2019.
In his poignant final Gone Fishing appearance, Rea spoke openly about his health, crediting his childhood sweetheart and wife, Joan, for her unwavering support. He revealed that after his cancer diagnosis, he left her all the royalties to Driving Home For Christmas as a gesture of love, joking: 'and now she won't give them back.' He also stated he 'wasn't afraid of dying'.
Just hours before his death, Rea shared a final, poignant message on social media featuring an image of a car on a snowy motorway with the caption: 'Top to toe in tailbacks If it's a white Christmas, let's hope the journey's a smooth one.'
A statement from his wife Joan and daughters Josie and Julia read: 'It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Chris. He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family.'
