DALE Winton always longed to be in a relationship after apparently failing to get over his ex-boyfriend - who he loved spending Saturday nights in with.
The Supermarket Sweep star, 62, opened up about his troubled love life just months before his death - admitting he hated waking up alone on a Sunday morning.
Dale, who never paraded his partners publicly, also revealed close pal Cilla Black told him that a former love was a "keeper" - but that he had regrettably "mucked it up".
He told The Sun's TV Magazine in January: "I actually don’t like Saturdays – unless I’m in a relationship, which I’m not and haven’t been for a while.
"I always feel like I should be doing something. It’s actually more about the Saturday night going into the Sunday morning because I want to wake up with someone.
"What I generally do on a Saturday is go out with buddies for dinner or a drink. Or I have been known to stay in and watch TV.
"I’ve taught myself to believe that it’s just another day. In our business we’re just as likely to be working on a Saturday as any other day."
Dale's agent Jan Kennedy announced the star died at his home last night after he was found collapsed.
In the months running up to his death, the legendary host was reportedly plagued by health woes, including a battle with depression.
He had been forced to miss Cilla's funeral in 2015 due to a crippling depression that was sparked by a devastating break-up.
Dale said it left him unable "to put one foot in front of the other".
Despite always keeping his relationships incredibly private, Dale recalled relationship advice that his pal Cilla had given him.
Dale said in January: "Cilla always gave me the best advice.
"I once had a boyfriend years ago and Cilla said to me: ‘Don’t lose this one, he’s a keeper.’
"But I did. I mucked it up. I wish I’d listened to her."
Instead Dale admitted he went on to choose the "wrong" type of men in future relationships.
Appearing on Loose Women in June 2016, Dale said: "God, I can't half pick em!
"People are amazed at my taste.
"I like them if they've not got a tooth in their head, tattoos, the lot.
"If they've got emotional problems, sign me up."
His friend Steve Allen today said the TV host suffered a "turbulent" love life.
On Steve's LBC show, he said: "The one thing that he didn’t have was a boyfriend, the one thing that he wanted was a boyfriend.
"He did have relationships with a few people.
"You could do a book on Dale’s love life, and at the end of each chapter you would have the word 'unfulfilled'.
"He wanted to take somebody out and show them off, but the people he wanted didn’t want to be taken out or shown off. So it was a bit disappointing.
"His love life was slightly turbulent."
He added of Dale, who came out as gay in 2002: "He had been out with a few people but they never lasted very long. The sort of people he wanted to go out with tended to be heterosexual, which proved a little bit of a problem."
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Celebrity pals including David Walliams and Davina McCall have led the tributes to "adored" Winton, who was also the face of the National Lottery.
Announcing his death last night, Dale's agent said: "It is with great sadness that we can confirm the passing of Dale Winton who died at home earlier today.
"While we know many will share this terrible loss, we ask that you respect the family's privacy at this time of grief."
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