Tributes have poured in for Malcolm Taylor, the long-standing presenter of Business Breakfast on Dubai Eye, following his death.

The radio station announced the news on Wednesday morning.

“ARN and Dubai Eye 103.8 announce with deepest regret the sad passing of our dear friend and colleague Malcolm Taylor,” the station said.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.”

Taylor is understood to have died early on Wednesday, from a heart-related issue. The cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.

His colleague and co-host Brandy Scott said she was devastated by the news.

“Malc has been my early morning partner-in-crime for more than a decade. Dubai has lost a very big talent and we have all lost a very dear friend,” she said.

ARN and Dubai Eye 103.8 announce with deepest regret the sad passing of our dear friend and colleague Malcolm Taylor. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time pic.twitter.com/QNXDHwx69B — Dubai Eye 103.8FM (@DubaiEye1038FM) December 4, 2019

Described by the radio station as “something of a Gulf veteran”, Taylor moved to the region in 1967 when his family was posted to Bahrain for work.

He first visited Dubai in 1972, when he and a few friends swam across the Creek, with a rowing abra following close behind with their clothes.

He previously worked in senior management with Dow Jones, Capital Intelligence and Reuters, in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, South Korea, Cyprus and South Africa.

Friends and former colleagues paid tribute on Twitter.

Emma Brain, a news reader at the station, described him as “an amazing colleague”.

“A brilliant broadcaster, big personality and a pleasure to work with,” she wrote on Twitter.

Capital Radio UAE said he was a “stalwart of the business show on ARN for many years and had been in the Middle East for most of his working life”.

“Condolences to his friends and family from all of us. RIP,” it said.

We are saddened to hear of the passing of broadcaster Malcolm Taylor, just announced this morning. Malcolm was a stalwart of the business show on ARN for many years & had been in the ME for most of his working life. Condolences to his friends and family from all of us. RIP. — Capital Radio UAE (@cruae1) December 4, 2019

Former 7DAYS editor Barry King said on Twitter he was in shock at the “sad, sad” news.

“Condolences to Malcolm’s family and everyone in his ARN family,” he wrote.

Taylor co-hosted the daily four-hour Business Breakfast on Dubai Eye since 2005 and won many industry awards along the way, the station said.