By Terence Dooley

Scotland’s former world lightweight champion Jim Watt has been hit by tragedy for the second time after his daughter Michelle was found dead in her home on Wednesday evening.  Watt lost his 17-year-old son, Jim Junior, to a car crash in 1995 and has now lost the second of his three children.

Michelle was a popular TV show presenter, she has helmed 60 Minute Makeover and Club Cupid; the 38-year-old’s leaves behind her husband and a five-year-old daughter.  

Her death is not being treated as suspicious by the Scottish police.

Des Clarke, a comedian and her Club Cupid co-host, led the tributes.

“It’s so sad,” he said when speaking to the Daily Record.  “My memories of Michelle are just all so happy.  We presented Club Cupid together and we would go up to Dundee together every weekend and try to matchmake all these brilliantly random people from all over Scotland and have such a giggle with each other all the way up.  We’d hang out with one another and were in and out of each other’s pockets.  I remember her being a great people person and I clicked with her right away.  She was just really fun to be around and such a lovely, genuine person and so hardworking.

He added: “I’m devastated. I’m actually still shaking.  My heart goes out to the family and her friends.”

It is a tragic situation for Watt, who spoke about the death of his son in 2010 and must now contend with the passing of his only daughter.  “It was the lowest point of my life.  You shouldn’t bury your children—your children should bury you,” he stated when speaking about Jim Junior’s death during a conversation with Radio Scotland’s Stuff of Legends.

Watt’s southpaw boxing skills and determination to succeed defined his fighting career.  He won a whole host of new fans during his time as a pundit for ITV and Sky Sports.  The 66-year-old is synonymous with the sport, he is the voice of boxing for more than one generation and the entire boxing community has come out in support of the former fighter during this difficult time.

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