A UK radio host has apologized after mistakenly announcing the death of actor Dick Van Dyke during a live broadcast, when she meant to report on the passing of James Van Der Beek.

Ashley Roberts, the showbiz correspondent for Heart Radio's "Heart Breakfast" show, made the error on Thursday, February 12. While delivering entertainment news, she said, "Dawson's Creek's Dick Van Dyke has passed away."

According to Yahoo, her cohost Jamie Theakston quickly corrected her on air. "Not Dick Van Dyke — come on," Theakston said. "If you're going to do a sensitive moment, if you're going to do an obituary, you can't just say Dick Van Dyke."

Cohost Amanda Holden also stepped in, saying, "He's alive."

Roberts responded, "Yes, [he's alive] — he's 100 years old!" Van Dyke celebrated his 100th birthday on December 13, 2025, and remains very much alive.

Theakston added, "Unbelievably, he's very much still alive," before Roberts issued a clear apology.

"Oh my gosh, we spoke about this, I'm so sorry," she said, explaining that it was actually James Van Der Beek who had died.

James Van Der Beek Dies at 48 After Cancer Battle

Van Der Beek, best known for his role on "Dawson's Creek," passed away at age 48 on Wednesday, February 11, after battling stage 3 colorectal cancer. His death was confirmed in a statement shared on social media, US Magazine reported.

"Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith and grace," the statement read. "For now, we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother and friend."

The Travis County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that Van Der Beek was pronounced dead at 6:44 a.m. on Wednesday.

The actor revealed in November 2024 that he had been privately battling colorectal cancer for more than a year.

"I've been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family," he shared at the time.

He said he was diagnosed in 2023 after a colonoscopy to check his symptoms and added, "There's reason for optimism, and I'm feeling good."

In a December 2025 interview, Van Der Beek called his diagnosis the "best thing" to happen to him. "As soon as I heard the news, I went into shock," he said, adding that he believed it would lead him to make life changes that would bring "healthy, happy years" ahead.

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Dick Van Dyke