BBC Blankety Blank viewers emotional at moving tribute to Kirkby dad
Nathaniel Hill, 39, made a posthumous appearance as a contestant on tonight's episode of Blankety Blank
BBC's Blankety Blank issued a touching tribute to a "kind" and "funny" dad, 39, who died in April. Nathanael Hill, from Kirkby, was an armour officer in the air force and during his time he completed six tours of Iraq, four tours of Afghanistan and worked on Operation Red Flag.
Host Bradley Walsh was ed by Jack Dee, Rob Beckett, Lucy Beaumont, Steph McGovern, Kelly Holmes and Omid Djalili. The show ending by ing Nathaniel, who made a posthumous appearance as a contestant on tonight's show, with a tribute on screen.
After the credits finished, a message appeared which read: 'Nathanael Hill 1985 - 2025.'
Blankety Blank's viewers became emotional after seeing the tribute, sharing their sympathies online. One X said: "Who knew you could get sad at the end of an episode of Blankety Blank? RIP Nathanael."
A second said: "Wow. That’s so sad. RIP Nathaneal." Another added: "Oh how sad he ed away young."
The ECHO previously reported how during a stint in south-central Asia, Nathanael got injured by shrapnel from a roadside bomb which was remotely detonated. He was medically discharged from the Air Force following the incident as he was deemed no longer “operationally” viable as he struggled with PTSD.
Four years after leaving the force Nathanael was diagnosed with late-onset type 1 diabetes, which doctors believed was “festering” for years prior. The injury combined with a new-found blood clot in his leg during the Covid-19 pandemic meant the limb was never able to fully heal.
Nathanael fought three bouts of sepsis and was resuscitated twice, before being itted to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital where doctors gave him the proposition - “Your life or your leg?”. In October 2022, Nathaniel chose to remove the affected limb via an above-knee amputation.
Last year dream of achieving gold for Team GB at the 2028 LA Paralympics. Nathanael was also a former player and coach at Liverpool Tritons RUFC.
In April,Liverpool Tritons RUFC announces the ing of our dear friend, former player, and coach, Nathanael Hill – known to many simply as Nate.
"Nate was a cherished member of the Tritons for several years. As both a formidable player on the pitch and a ionate, dedicated coach off it, Nate brought skill, heart, and a contagious enthusiasm to everything he did. His commitment to inclusive rugby and to our community helped shape the club into what it is today.
"More than his achievements in the game, Nate will be ed for his kindness, sense of humour, and the unwavering he showed to teammates, new players, and friends alike. His loss will be felt deeply across the club and far beyond.
"Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Nate’s family, loved ones, and all those whose lives he touched. He will be sorely missed but never forgotten. Rest in peace, Nate."