Chris Rea, the singer best known for his 1986 festive hit 'Driving Home for Christmas', shared a poignant final Instagram post just hours before his death at the age of 74 on Monday (22.12.25). The post featured a car on a snowy motorway with a road sign reading 'Driving home for Christmas with a thousand memories'. He captioned it: 'Top to toe in tailbacks. If it's a white Christmas, let's hope the journey is a smooth one.'
Rea's death was announced by his family with 'immense sadness' three days before Christmas. A statement from his wife Joan and their daughters said: 'It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Chris. He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family.'
Born and raised in Middlesbrough, Rea was a proud son of the town. Mayor Chris Cooke paid tribute, saying: 'This is really sad news... Chris Rea was deeply proud of his Middlesbrough roots and the people of our town were equally proud to call him one of their own. Millions of people around the world will listen to his music tonight. His songs helped put Middlesbrough on the map and he leaves behind a legacy.'
Middlesbrough FC described Rea as a 'Teesside icon', recalling how he recorded a new version of his song 'Let's Dance' with comedian Bob Mortimer for the team's 1997 FA Cup final appearance. TV personality Lizzie Cundy, who appeared in a charity music video for 'Driving Home for Christmas' in 2009, also paid tribute, calling him 'an inspiration and legend'.
