Florence Winsome Leighton, known to millions as Wincey Willis, was one of British television’s most recognisable faces in the 1980s. The pioneering weather presenter, who broke barriers as ITV’s first national female weather broadcaster on TV-am, died in December 2024 at the age of 76. Her death was not widely reported until June 2025, when TV-am and other outlets confirmed the news, leading to a wave of tributes and a surge of public interest in her life and final years.
Willis died in a care home in the North East, with her family requesting privacy around the news. Reports consistently state that she had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2015, a condition that ultimately led to her death. The delay in the public announcement added to confusion online, with many asking whether she was still alive.
This article brings together the confirmed facts of her life, career, and passing, while clearly separating what is known from what remains unconfirmed.
What Was Wincey Willis’s Cause of Death?
Multiple sources report that Wincey Willis died following a long battle with frontotemporal dementia, a progressive neurodegenerative condition. She was diagnosed with this form of dementia in 2015, a decade before her death. Some reports refer to the cause simply as “dementia,” but the more specific diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia is consistently cited by several outlets, including Wikipedia, The Hartlepool Mail, and Radio Times.
The exact date of her death is recorded as either 18 December 2024 or 19 December 2024, with most sources settling on December 2024. She died peacefully at a care home in the North East of England, according to a statement from her family carried by several news organisations. The family specifically asked that the news not be made public until June 2025.
Wincey Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2015. This form of dementia primarily affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, leading to changes in personality, behaviour, and language. Her diagnosis was made public only after her death was confirmed.
Overview: Key Facts About Wincey Willis
Key Insights
- Wincey Willis became a household name in the 1980s as the weather presenter on TV-am’s Good Morning Britain.
- She was ITV’s first national female weather presenter, a trailblazing role for women in broadcasting.
- Her death in December 2024 was confirmed publicly in June 2025, leading to significant online search confusion.
- In later life, she worked as a poet and conservationist, and presented on BBC Hereford & Worcester.
- She married Malcolm Willis in 1972; the couple later divorced.
- There is no public confirmation that she had children.
Snapshot: Key Facts About Wincey Willis
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Florence Winsome Leighton |
| Stage Name | Wincey Willis |
| Born | 8 August 1948, Gateshead, County Durham, England |
| Died | 18–19 December 2024, aged 76 |
| Cause of Death | Frontotemporal dementia (diagnosed 2015) |
| Occupation | Television and radio broadcaster, weather presenter, poet, conservationist |
| Known For | Weather presenter on TV-am (1980s), later BBC Hereford & Worcester |
| Spouse | Malcolm Willis (married 1972, divorced) |
| Children | Not publicly confirmed |
| Final Residence | Sunderland, North East England |
Who Was Wincey Willis? Life, Career, and TV Legacy
Born Florence Winsome Leighton on 8 August 1948 in Gateshead, County Durham, she was adopted as a child by Florence and Thomas Dimmock and grew up in Hartlepool. Her stage name, Wincey Willis, became one of the most recognised in British breakfast television.
Early Career and Rise to Fame
Before her big break, Willis worked in radio and regional television. She began at Radio Tees and later moved to Tyne Tees Television. It was during the 1980s that she became a national figure as the weather presenter on TV-am, the ITV breakfast show that later became Good Morning Britain. She was the network’s first female national weather presenter, a role that made her a beloved fixture in millions of homes. She also co-presented Channel 4’s Treasure Hunt, a popular adventure game show.
Later Work and Interests
After leaving TV-am, Willis continued in broadcasting, working for BBC Hereford & Worcester as a radio presenter. She also developed a reputation as a poet and a passionate conservationist, frequently speaking about her love for animals and the natural world. Colleagues remember her as a warm, witty, and fiercely loyal personality.
At a time when female weather presenters were rare on national television, Wincey Willis became a trusted and popular face. Her success on TV-am paved the way for other women in the field, and her career is often cited in retrospectives of 1980s British television history.
Was Wincey Willis Married? Husband and Children
Yes, Wincey Willis was married. She wed Malcolm Willis, who was described in reports as a bed salesman, in 1972. The couple later divorced, but she kept the surname Willis for her professional career. The marriage appears to have been relatively low-profile, with little public detail about their life together or the reasons for their separation.
Did Wincey Willis Have Children?
This is one of the most common questions asked about her, and it remains unanswered by authoritative sources. No reputable biography or obituary confirms that she had children. One source explicitly states she did not have children, but this has not been corroborated by multiple outlets. As a result, the question of whether Wincey Willis was a mother remains unconfirmed by public records.
Connections to Ace Willis or Sammy Dobson
There is no verified connection between Wincey Willis and individuals named Ace Willis or Sammy Dobson. Searches for these names in relation to her appear to stem from online speculation or mistaken identity. No authoritative source links them.
Wincey Willis’s Later Years: Care Home and Health
After her dementia diagnosis in 2015, Wincey Willis returned to the North East of England, where she lived in Sunderland. Reports suggest she was cared for in a care home in the region. The Hartlepool Mail, among others, reported that she “died peacefully at a care home in the North East.” Her family specifically requested privacy during this time, which is why details of her living situation and final years were not widely publicised until after her death.
Those who knew her in her later years describe her as a passionate animal lover and nature enthusiast. She continued to write poetry and maintained close ties with friends, though her public profile had diminished significantly after her television career ended.
While multiple news outlets report that Wincey Willis was in a care home, official confirmation from her family or representatives has not been published. Similarly, no funeral details—such as the date, location, or type of service—have been made public.
How Was Wincey Willis Remembered? Tributes and Funeral
Public tributes to Wincey Willis began to appear in June 2025, after TV-am’s official social media accounts and other news outlets confirmed her death. Colleagues and friends described her as “warm,” “wickedly funny,” and “fiercely loyal.” Obituaries highlighted her role as a trailblazer, noting that she was not just a weather presenter but a symbol of the friendly, accessible tone of 1980s breakfast television.
The Telegraph published an obituary that detailed her career from regional radio to national fame, while TV-am’s own tribute remembered her as “the girl who made the weather fun.” The Independent, Radio Times, and Hartlepool Mail all carried obituaries that celebrated her unique place in British broadcasting history.
As of the latest information, no funeral or memorial service details have been made public. It remains unclear whether a private service was held or if a public commemoration is planned.
Timeline: Key Events in Wincey Willis’s Life
- 8 August 1948: Born Florence Winsome Leighton in Gateshead, County Durham.
- Adoption: Adopted by Florence and Thomas Dimmock and raised in Hartlepool.
- Early Career: Worked at Radio Tees and Tyne Tees Television in regional broadcasting.
- 1980s: Became a national star as the weather presenter on TV-am’s Good Morning Britain.
- Co-host: Presented Channel 4’s Treasure Hunt.
- 1972: Married Malcolm Willis; the couple later divorced.
- Post-1990s: Moved into radio with BBC Hereford & Worcester; pursued poetry and conservation work.
- 2015: Diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.
- 18–19 December 2024: Died at age 76 in a care home in the North East.
- 18–21 June 2025: Obituaries and tributes published by TV-am, The Telegraph, The Independent, and others, confirming her death.
What Is Confirmed and What Remains Unclear About Wincey Willis’s Death?
| Established Information | Information That Remains Unclear |
|---|---|
| Wincey Willis died on 18–19 December 2024 at age 76. | The exact cause of death beyond “frontotemporal dementia” has not been specified. |
| Her real name was Florence Winsome Leighton. | Whether she had children is not confirmed by authoritative sources. |
| She was a weather presenter on TV-am and later hosted Treasure Hunt. | Specific details of her care home stay have not been officially confirmed by her family. |
| She worked for BBC Hereford & Worcester. | Funeral arrangements have not been made public. |
| She married Malcolm Willis in 1972 and later divorced. | The circumstances of her divorce are not publicly detailed. |
Why Was There Confusion About Whether Wincey Willis Is Still Alive?
The significant delay between her death in December 2024 and the public announcement in June 2025 is the primary cause of confusion. Her family requested privacy, and the news was not widely reported until TV-am and other outlets published obituaries months later. This created a gap where many people searching for her online encountered outdated biographical pages, leading to searches like “Is Wincey Willis still alive?” and “Wincey Willis death date.”
Wincey Willis remains a nostalgic figure for British viewers of the 1980s, and her low public profile in later years meant that her passing did not immediately make headlines. The lack of detail in official reporting—particularly around the exact cause of death, family, and funeral—has left an information gap that this article aims to clarify.
What Do the Sources Say? Quotes and Tributes
Widely circulated obituaries provide the most authoritative information about Wincey Willis. The Telegraph’s obituary covered her career in depth, while TV-am’s own tribute captured the emotional response from her former colleagues. The Wikipedia entry serves as a reliable biographical baseline.
“Wincey Willis was a trailblazer for women in broadcasting, a warm and wickedly funny presence on screen.”
— The Hartlepool Mail
Additional sources
