FOUNDERS of the comic Viz yesterday paid tribute to TV presenter Rod Griffith, the inspiration behind their Roger Mellie character.

The actor and presenter died aged 74 and Viz creators told how their foul-mouthed character was born after he was overheard telling a joke.

Rod became one of the most familiar faces on North-East television as he presented a regional news programme.

Co-founder of Viz, Simon Donald, said: "Myself, my brother Chris and James Brownlow, the founders of Viz, went to see a researcher at Tyne Tees television in about 1980.

"We were sitting in the canteen and I just heard this extremely familiar voice telling a joke.

"I listened to it and I realised it was Rod Griffith and he was telling a joke that was a bit blue, with a swear word in the punchline.

"I asked if the others had heard it and I told them that I had just heard Rod Griffith swear.

"That inspired Chris to go away and come up with the character of Roger Mellie."

He added: "Roger Mellie didn't know who to use that language in front of, whereas Rod did.

"He may have used the odd blue word when he was drinking with his friends, but in front of the ladies he was an absolute gentleman."

Rod Griffith was nicknamed TV's "Mr Nice Guy" after joining Tyne Tees in 1964. He took early retirement in 1985.

Mr Donald said: "Chris kept it a secret for a long time that Rod was the inspiration for the character because, although it was based on him, he wasn't that kind of man.

"He was a real gentleman and a pioneering news broadcaster, one of the original generation of television presenters. It is very sad for us at Viz to hear of his death, he was a genuinely charming man."

Mr Griffith died in Newcastle General Hospital on Monday, after a short illness