Kristian Digby - charming property expert with mass appeal

Kristian Digby's contagious enthusiasm, flair and bubbly charm made him a magnetic personality on the small screen.

The BBC daytime television host was known for his charismatic disposition and a zest for life which propelled him to fame as the face of To Buy Or Not To Buy.

But the dapper presenter, who also fronted the BBC's Holiday Show, was no one trick pony.

Born into a family of property developers, he launched his career as a director and went on to work on programmes including Home Front, Fantasy Rooms, She's Gotta Have It, Girls On Top and The Ozone.

A property expert himself, he was also the series director on The Million Pound Property Experiment for BBC2.

Digby won recognition for his evident talent - his short film Words Of Deception earnt him a junior Bafta in 1997.

Later on in his short but full career, he turned his hand to presenting and swiftly became a familiar household name.

He worked on a string of shows including Double Agents, Living In The Sun, House Swap and Buy It, Sell It, Bank It.

Raised in Torquay, Devon, he had mass appeal and was credited with making homosexuality acceptable to the middle classes.

And according to those who knew him, the warmth he exuded on screen was far more than just a front for the cameras.

He was a friend as well as a colleague to his co-presenter on To Buy or Not to Buy, Dominic Littlewood, and to his agent, Jo Wander.

Even neighbours in Newham, east London, said they had been touched by his warmth.

The enthusiasm he applied to his promising career in the public eye was extended to seemingly menial tasks in the local community.

While he was not hard at work, he devoted time to improving life for people living around him.

This included arranging for trees to be planted along the street and organising for rubbish to be collected.

He had apparently been living in his "dream home", which he had built, when he was found dead at the age of 32.