CHEFS and former colleagues have paid tribute to Keith Floyd after his death from a heart attack

Floyd, who revealed in July he was battling bowel cancer, died at his partner’s home in Dorset last night, his ghost writer James Steen said.

The 65-year-old’s booze-fuelled TV shows made him a household name and he wrote more than 20 books.

His latest autobiography, Stirred But Not Shaken, in which he describes his battles with the bottle, is due to be published next month.

A string of fellow chefs paid tribute to the flamboyant cook. Antony Worrall Thompson said: “I think all of us modern TV chefs owe a living to him.

“He kind of spawned us all.”

Channel 4 star Jamie Oliver said Floyd was the premier TV chef and a huge influence.

He said: “Keith was not just one of the best, he was the best television chef. An incredible man who lived life to the full and an inspiration to me and to so many others.”

Gordon Ramsay said: “Keith Floyd was a natural performer and a superb cook. He broke new ground with his shows. His contribution to TV cookery was immense.”