Supermarket Sweep presenter Dale Winton has died aged 62. 

His long-term agent Jan Kennedy said: "It is with great sadness that we can confirm the passing of Dale Winton who died at home earlier today.

"While we know many will share this terrible loss, we ask that you respect the family's privacy at this time of grief."

No details of his death on Wednesday were sharedbut it is believed Mr Winton had been suffering from a long-term health condition.

Although Mr Winton was known for his upbeat presenting of fluffy game shows such as Supermarket Sweep and the National Lottery's In It To Win It, his public persona belied a tragic early life.

Winton was born on 22 May 1955. His father, Gary Winner, was Jewish and his mother, actress Sheree Winton, converted to Judaism. In an interview with the JC in 2002 Winton recalled chicken soup and chopped liver for Friday night dinner. Winton was what he described as "an ordinary North-West London kid" until his barmitzvah, which was also the day his father died.

"We knew he was very poorly," he told the JC. "But obviously we didn't know he was going to die that morning. The idea was that I would read my portion in the synagogue and then be driven to Westminster Hospital to read it all over again at his bedside."

Winton was brought up by his mother but she committed suicide in 1976, when Winton was 21, by taking an overdose of the depression medication she had bceome addicted to. She was found dead by her son with a "do not disturb" sign outside her bedroom door.

Winton started his career as a DJ in Richmond before moving into local radio and on to work at the BBC. His big break came in 1993 with Supermarket Sweep which he hosted until 2001 and again in 2007 when it was re-booted. However as he was climbing the ladder of local radio Winton decided he needed to chage his look: "I had a very strong Jewish nose. It overshadowed everything. It was large with a big bump in the middle".

Read the full interview from our archive here: